Never Broken
by nellsss
Summary: COMPLETE! Never a dull summer for the three Douglas brothers. Grandpa's news takes them by surprise. New friendships are formed. Sparks fly. Trouble brews, though one can never tell if the trio goes looking for it or if it just happens to find them.
1. Chapter 1

**[A/N] Hey everyone! This is my FIRST story EVER on this site. **

**I actually wrote this about 2-3 years ago after I saw the movie on TV. ;) Talk about nostalgia! And that's exactly why I wrote it. Pure nostalgic fulfillment. I grew up with this movie & it makes me smile. :) Just recently discovered this site, & decided to share this with you. I hope it does the same for you. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 1**

The sun rose in the sky gleaming brightly against the blanket of blue, and the morning dew sprinkled on the foliage made the woods glitter in the sunlight. The serenity was akin to the disposition of three young boys, three young ninjas, all of whom sat cross-legged in the heart of the woods, amongst the shroud of tall trees and the brilliance of nature. Eyes closed, they sat next to each other across from an elderly man who mirrored their positions.

None of them spoke. None of them moved. None of them even acknowledged the other's presence as each was trapped in their own respective reveries. The rise and fall of their chests, however, were synchronous as every breath they took was deep and rhythmic, in through their noses and out of their mouths. In and out. Inhale and exhale.

Several minutes passed in meditation before the elderly man sighed loudly in content. He opened his eyes. His name was Mori Tanaka, a Japanese-American trained in the art of martial arts and ninjutsu. Known to the boys simply as Grandpa, he smiled at his three grandsons.

"Boys…" he began, breaking the silence as the word pierced the quiet of the air.

It was the ninja in green that opened his eyes first, and he also happened to be the eldest of the three. With dirty blonde hair and greenish-blue eyes, his name was Samuel or better known as Rocky, named so not only for his physical strength and toughness, but also for his solid demeanor and cool composure. Always the voice of reason, calm and collected was an understatement for him, even under pressure. One could believe that this came naturally for Rocky, him being the eldest brother.

"Yes, sir," Rocky answered quietly, as if afraid to interrupt the peace that remained.

His grandfather met his gaze, still smiling and merely nodded to him as if to give permission to abandon their dream-like state. Rocky nodded in understanding and lightly nudged his brother next to him, the ninja in blue. The middle brother slowly opened his eyes. Looking to his grandfather and then to his brother, a small smirk emerged from his mouth.

Jeffrey was his given name, but his ninja name, Colt, better described him. With his brown hair and hazel eyes, he was fast, a free spirit, and never backed down from any challenge. Colt was also fairly rebellious and stubborn, and with such a streak, he and Rocky tended to conflict in ideas. Out of the three, he probably loved being a ninja the most, and their mom once declared him to be a "great ninja warrior."

Colt followed Rocky's lead and nudged the third boy. The youngest, the ninja in gold yellow, was slow to respond as his meditation seemed to affect him the deepest of the three. Either that or he had fallen asleep; one could only guess. Colt nudged him again, this time more forcefully that it could easily be classified as a shove.

"Ow, Colt!" the youngest declared, nearly toppling over. Colt smirked at him, merely shrugging in apology. His brother made a face at him in return.

This one had dark brown hair and brown eyes. Though he was named Michael, he liked to be called Tum Tum. True to his namesake, Tum Tum loved food and loved his tummy full. With his never-ending need to satisfy his hunger, and he was always hungry, it was not a surprise that he was a ball of energy. He was carefree and often found himself torn between his brothers' opposing views, but he also, though unknowingly, balanced the three of them.

Facing his grandfather, Tum Tum spoke through a lollipop. "Are we done yet?"

Their grandfather chuckled lightly and nodded, but said nothing. This left the four in a comfortable silence for several more minutes, the boys not knowing what to say as Grandpa waited to proceed. He never did ask his boys what they thought about during their times of reflection, or if they even had any thoughts at all. His request was simple: to not think, but to listen.

Once upon a time, when Grandpa had introduced this practice, it was Tum Tum who had blurted the question on all of their minds. "Listen to what?" he had asked, while Rocky and Colt shared a look.

"Whatever is being told," Grandpa Mori had answered vaguely. The discussion, however, had ended there and how the boys had decided to interpret his simple, yet elusive instructions, he would never know. And to this day, he did not need to know.

He stood up, and the three boys followed suit. In a line, Rocky, Colt, and Tum Tum positioned themselves in attention. Their grandfather bowed once causing them to do the same. Grandpa Mori smiled. "I believe you are ready," he said.

As was custom, the three ninjas shared a look when they were all equally baffled, which was in fact, quite often. They had never been able to read through Grandpa's mysterious nature, and thus, the youngest would inquire accordingly.

"Ready for what?" Tum Tum asked.

"One would only have to fight you once to know that you are well-versed in the art of ninja. You have learned well. You are truly ninjas."

Rocky was quick to read between the lines of the statement. "Learned? As in _past_ tense?"

Grandpa Mori continued to smile, proud of his eldest to have caught on so quickly. "Yes, past tense."

Realization soon dawned on Colt and Tum Tum as well, setting off an eruption of protests from all three brothers.

"_No_."

"You mean-?"

"It can't be!"

"But _why?_"

Their grandfather held up a hand, instantly silencing his grandsons and then, waited a few moments before explaining further. "Remember, boys, the end of one thing leads to the beginning of something else." With that, Grandpa Mori turned and walked away, the action being indicative that it was time for a break.

"Great," said Colt sarcastically as soon as he was out of earshot. "Now where have I heard that quote before?" He shook his head, clearly unhappy about this new revelation. "The end is only the beginning. Oh _please_."

"_Colt_," Rocky began. "Grandpa wouldn't just stop teaching us for no reason. I guess we must have learned all that we could."

Tum Tum agreed, nodding his head dramatically. "Yeah, Colt. He said we were 'truly ninjas.'"

Colt sighed. It was two against one, but as stubborn as he was, he still wasn't completely convinced. "Whatever," he said dryly.

The rest of the afternoon had the boys battling their grandfather as they embarked on the nearly unattainable task of defeating him. Every summer, they would get closer and closer to successfully doing so, but in the end, Grandpa would always see right through their plans. This time, however, Rocky's plan seemed to showcase his genius at its finest, and if it had been executed flawlessly, it would have probably worked. Unfortunately for the boys, the events of that morning had distracted them more than they were willing to admit and they had lost to their grandfather in due course.

As soon as training was over, the three boys made their way through the woods towards their grandfather's cabin, numb from a mix of melancholy, exhaustion, and hunger.

Their grandfather, however, stopped short of the cabin entrance. "Boys, I'm going out to get a few things. I won't be long," he announced.

"But we haven't even eaten yet, and I'm starving!" Tum Tum complained as he sat down at the dining table.

Grandpa Mori merely grinned at his youngest grandson as he sulked, which was typical for him when it came to food. "There are leftovers in the 'fridge," he told him.

"Okay fine," Tum Tum said, continuing to grumble about but started for the refrigerator anyway.

"Also, I want you to clear up the front and straighten the plants. We made a mess outside," their grandfather ordered.

The three boys nodded. "Yes Grandpa."

Grandpa Mori was walking out the door as he yelled over his shoulder, "I'll be back. You boys keep an eye _and_ ear out." He winked tellingly as he got into the car. There was Grandpa again with his furtiveness, and the three boys gave each other a puzzled look.

The boys watched their grandfather drive off, and though they wondered what he had meant, the thought faded as they followed through with his orders. While Rocky started setting the table, Tum Tum worked on making lunch, one of his favorite pastimes. Colt did not stay inside for long as he began to clean the front yard.

Half an hour later, Tum Tum had not only reinvented the leftovers, but had also cooked up an entirely new meal for him and his brothers.

"It wasn't enough food!" Tum Tum had said. Still, Rocky and Colt had not complained as they, too, were quite starved, though they were not as public about it as their younger brother.

Before they could sit down to eat, however, the brothers felt something strange. The air wasn't right. It had suddenly grown thick, uncharacteristically dense for the fresh outdoors, and even foreboding. It didn't feel… safe. Tum Tum had just placed the bowl of rice onto the table when he noticed his oldest brother look past the window.

"Rocky, wha—?" Tum Tum began.

"Sshh..." Rocky cut off. "Do you feel that?" He looked to his brothers seriously before gazing out the window again. This time, the other two followed suit.

"I thought I was the only one," said Colt.

Tum Tum nodded.

Without another word, the boys walked outside and scoped the scenery, but the front yard was deserted and the plants were untouched, not since Colt had straightened them up. The three ninjas gave each other a wary look, which proved to be a mistake as two shadowy figures saw this as an open opportunity and jumped from the trees. Dressed in black and masked, it didn't take long for the boys to recognize a fellow ninja. Startled, though unfazed, the boys immediately commenced an all-out battle against their mysterious opponents.

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**[A/N] And there's the first chapter! I sincerely hoped you liked it & that I got the characterizations of the three brothers (and Grandpa) fairly accurately. So please R&R! They will let me know if I need to continue posting or not. I don't mind constructive criticism, but please be kind as I am quite new to creative writing. :)**

**New characters introduced in Chapter 2!**


	2. Chapter 2

**[A/N] Update time! Thanks for all the reviews! I greatly appreciate them! Hugs & Cheers to all of you!**

**And also to those who 'story alerted' this. Thank you! I'm slowly, but surely learning how this website works. :)**

**New characters introduced in this one. Brief intro. here but I do develop them as I go along... I hope. ;) Just a quick note, browsing through the past stories, one of the much older, previous ones actually shares a name with one of my original characters. Crazily enough. Though they are written in completely different contexts, I'll give credit where its due. Thus, a BIG thank you is in order for letting me use the name.**

**DISCLAIMER: I forgot to say it last time, but obviously, I do not own 3 Ninjas!**

**So... on to chapter 2, shall we?**

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**Chapter 2**

Rocky and Tum Tum struggled against one of the strangers, while Colt took on another. They were young, at least from what the boys could tell. Both of them were fast, worthy enough to challenge Colt's speed, and they fought with the same level of skill and intensity as the boys. It was all too familiar.

The first move resulted in Rocky blocking an assault from the mysterious ninja, while Tum Tum went on the offensive. With the two of them working together, one would think they would have the upper hand, but the ninja was a worthy opponent. The outsider saw an opening through one of Tum Tum's attacks disabling him long enough to fight Rocky one-on-one. They exchanged a series of punches and kicks, but neither of them was able to land an efficient blow.

Meanwhile, Colt was alone facing his own unwelcome guest. His opponent had a head start and initiated a sequence of offensive maneuvers on Colt, while he took on the defensive evading each move forced upon him. Once he saw his chance to fight back, Colt lashed out in wild fashion, but it was a futile effort as the ninja was able to thwart him by blocking his attacks, then flipping backwards.

"Who are you guys anyway?" Colt asked crossly as he blocked a punch from his opponent.

With that, the fighting came to a halt. The strangers looked at each other and then at the boys, eyes smiling and releasing their guard stance. The boys weren't quite ready to do the same as they continued to stand their ground, their glares unwavering. When the ninjas pulled off their masks, the boys shared an incredulous look. Standing before them was a guy and a girl who looked astoundingly alike. They had been fighting twins.

"I thought you'd never ask us who we were; I was getting tired of fighting," said the girl. Her tone was lighthearted and casual which indicated that the sneak attack was not meant to be a threat. She smiled. Not only was she a decent fighter, she was pretty and had long dark brown hair and green eyes.

"Yeah, we really didn't wanna fight you. It was your grandfather's idea," the guy added, shrugging innocently, who had equally dark brown hair and green eyes.

"What? Our grandfather? His idea? What's going on?" Colt asked brusquely, shooting a string of questions that demanded an explanation. The strangers gave him an amused smile, which he didn't return.

"We're his students, just like you," the guy explained.

"Students? Grandpa teaches _others?_" Tum Tum asked, still confused. Unlike Colt, however, he wasn't angered, but intrigued at this new revelation.

"Yeah, what do you think your grandfather does while you're not here visiting for the summer? Sit around and eat popcorn? He has to make money somehow, so he teaches," the guy continued.

"And we're just two of the few students he has," the girl added.

Rocky and Tum Tum relaxed and lessened their guard. Colt, however, remained tense. Though he had let his stance go, he wasn't as forgiving and still didn't fully trust the other two.

"That's where we're different because we're no longer his students," Colt said bitterly.

"_Colt_—" Rocky started.

"_No_, Rocky," his brother cut off. "Don't you see? Grandpa's replaced us already."

"You're wrong," said the girl quietly.

Colt blinked, taken aback and glared at her. "Who are _you_ to tell me that I'm wrong?" he snapped.

The girl met his glare and stepped forward slightly. "Your grandfather can _never_ replace you."

Colt snorted at this. "Well, he has."

"Don't be stupid. You're his grandsons. You _can't_ be replaced." She paused, but when he said nothing in return, she shook her head. "Jeez, you're as stubborn as they say you are. This… this was such a waste of time."

Colt remained silent, the expression on his face unreadable, while Rocky and Tum Tum gaped at the girl. They had never seen anyone, with the exception of their father, stand up to Colt enough to render him speechless.

Sighing in disappointment, the girl turned to her brother. "C'mon Jet. They're not going to believe us."

The guy nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right," he said and then turned to address the three brothers. "Well, it was good fighting ya I guess." He smiled at them weakly before turning to follow in his sister's wake.

The pair of ninjas began to walk away, but Colt's voice stopped them before they went too far. "_Wait_," he said suddenly. They turned back to face the three brothers. Eyebrows raised, they waited in silence for Colt to continue until finally, he gave in. "I'm Colt," he said with considerably less hostility in his voice. "My name… is Colt."

Looking at each other, the twins shared a smirk. "_Finally_," said the guy. "We knew you could do it."

The girl rolled her eyes. "'Bout damn time."

Taken aback by the unexpected turn of events, the three brothers shared a confused look. "Do what?" questioned Tum Tum.

Rocky, on the other hand, seemed to have a slight idea. "You mean this was… a _test?_"

"Sure was," the twins confirmed, broadening their grins.

"_What?_" cried Colt and Tum Tum.

The twins laughed. "Sorry!" said the guy, showing his palms in submission. "Like I said, it was entirely your grandfather's idea."

"What kind of test was _that?_" Colt asked.

The girl smiled. "A test of faith," she said.

…

Rocky looked up as he heard the rumbling of their grandfather's car pull up in the front yard. Having invited their two new friends for lunch, the five of them had just finished eating and cleaning up their mess. When Grandpa Mori walked into the door, there was a momentary pause in conversation. Even so, it was short-lived as he smiled brightly upon seeing all five ninjas.

"I see you've met my other students," Grandpa observed. The twins stood up respectfully and bowed to their sensei, but he held up his hand mid-bow. "No need, you're in my home and amongst friends."

"Yeah Grandpa, we met," Colt said. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Though it had taken awhile, Colt was definitely in a much lighter mood than earlier now that he had gotten to know the twins. Introducing themselves initially as Chris and Casey, the boys soon learned that not only did they rival their own abilities with Grandpa's teachings evident in their style and technique; they also had ninja names to highlight their unique personalities. To their grandfather, they were known as Jet and River, respectively.

"Yeah, Grandpa, why didn't you tell us?" Tum Tum repeated.

"He _did_," Rocky pointed out. "Well, kind of."

Grandpa Mori smiled. He did hint at their arrival, but he figured that his boys would choose ignorance over inquiry which would render them clueless in the long run. "I thought I would set up this surprise as my way of telling you. Plus, I wanted to test Jet and River," he told them. "Well, how did they do?"

"Eh, they were alright," Colt joked smugly, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair.

"_Alright?_ We'll see about that," challenged Jet. "You and me."

"You're on," Colt replied.

Jet smirked. Aside from sharing Colt's namesake for being fast, Jet also had a competitive drive. In casual conversation, it was easy to discern Jet's comical side with his dry humor and witty remarks. When he wasn't cracking jokes, however, Jet was poised and loyal and would do anything for his family and friends. As a ninja, he was known for his agility, quick reflexes, and bursts of speed.

River, in turn, playfully swatted Colt's arm. Colt gave her a look, feigning innocence, and she made a face at him. As Colt had seen first-hand, River was strong-minded and outspoken. Even so, she was passionate and had a heart of gold, and as her namesake implied, she was swift and moved with astounding grace and fluidity, like water.

"But you were testing _us_, too, weren't you?" Tum Tum asked.

"Ah, you noticed did you?" Grandpa said.

"Yes," the three brothers chorused.

"You must've have done quite well seeing as Jet and River have been invited for lunch."

"Of course, Grandpa," Colt said casually. "How did you think we would react? Like we've been replaced?"

"Yeah, because we _definitely_ wouldn't think that," Tum Tum said, rolling his eyes.

"Because that's just ridiculous," Colt added.

"Oh really?" questioned Grandpa Mori with a skeptical eyebrow raised.

"Yeah," Colt insisted.

Grandpa Mori then turned to Rocky and the twins, all of whom had been grinning goofily during the exchange. Unfortunately, Rocky had been so busy having a silent conversation with Jet and River that he hadn't noticed Grandpa looking to him to confirm the story. That is, until Colt elbowed him.

"Oh right. Absolutely," Rocky told Grandpa melodramatically, and the five friends laughed.

…

Sam Douglas slammed the papers on his desk, nearly spilling his cold coffee. He had reviewed the documents and evidence so many times, but he was nowhere closer to catching his latest endeavor: Vincent Moretti.

Sam sat at his desk and rubbed his forehead in his attempt to ease his pounding headache. Then, he closed his eyes and massaged his temples, but nothing seemed to help. Flustered, he groaned inwardly and rested his head on his hands. When he finally looked up, he saw his colleague and friend, Christopher Russo, walking up to him.

"Sam, you need rest. Go home," Chris suggested, concern written all over his face as he noticed the late hour on the clock.

"I'm just getting frustrated. We're nowhere near nailing Moretti; I just can't pinpoint his involvement, but I just know he's involved."

"We _all_ know he's involved, Sam, but you're not gonna find anything new staring at those files over and over again without a clear head and _rest_."

Sam sighed. "Yeah you're right," he conceded. He stretched his arms, got up, and began straightening up his desk.

"Hey, by the way, I got a phone call from my daughter, and my twins met your boys earlier today."

"Oh yeah? How did that go?" he asked curiously, relieved for the change in subject.

Chris grinned and shook his head. "They seemed to get along all too well. They could be trouble," he joked.

Sam Douglas laughed. "Yeah, trouble sounds about right."

…

Later that evening, the boys were lying in the bed that they shared in their attic bedroom, each lost in their own whirl of thoughts due to the preceding events of the day. While there was a collective calm amongst them, each was well-aware that none of them were asleep.

It was Colt who spoke first. "Rocky, you awake?" he whispered though he already knew the answer.

"Yeah," his older brother replied.

"What do you reckon?" asked Colt. It was a vague question, but he knew he didn't have to explain to his brother for him to know exactly what he was talking about.

"Honestly, I don't know."

"Well, that's a _first_," Colt said sarcastically, to which he heard Rocky scoff next to him. "What about you Tum?"

"Hmm?" the youngest mumbled, and his brothers presumed that he was probably chewing on his midnight candy. They heard him shift it inside his mouth, resting it in his cheek pocket before he spoke. "I think that… Grandpa knows what he's doing."

"Yeah," his older brothers chorused.

"Jet and River are cool," commented Colt suddenly.

Rocky shifted slightly, and Colt could feel his eyes studying him in the darkness. "River sure put you in your place."

"Well, she was right."

"So you admit it?"

"Yeah," Colt said quietly.

"Now, _that's_ a first," Rocky said, matching his brother's sarcasm, causing Colt to hit him with his spare pillow. "Ow! Well, you _are _pretty stubborn." He laughed.

"It's part of my charm." There was a smirk in his voice.

Rocky rolled his eyes in the dark. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Colt chuckled. "It does." He stretched and shifted himself in the bed. "And that's exactly what I'm gonna do."

"Me too," Rocky agreed. The two brothers waited expectantly for Tum Tum's usual 'me three' response, but it never came. "Tum?" said Rocky. Still, there was no reply. "Tum?"

The air grew quiet before Rocky and Colt heard the gentle snore of their younger brother; Tum Tum had already fallen asleep. Realizing this, the two boys laughed inwardly. "Typical," Colt said.

"Good night," Rocky told him.

"Good night, Rock."

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**[A/N] There you have it! Short, but it's only the beginning! Were the boys' reactions to Grandpa's 'surprise' pretty typical? And how did you like my originals? I, for one, am in love with them... hehe. ;) Oh, and how 'bout the VERY brief fight? Not exactly my forte, but I tried! They get longer & better, I swear!**

**Also, if it isn't implied already, this story is already COMPLETE. But I won't hold the chapters hostage for reviews. I do plan to update as often as I can. But please R&R, so I know how I'm doing! I really love reading your thoughts/comments.**

**More training action in Chapter 3! Oh, and Grandpa explains it all... STAY TUNED! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**[A/N] Yay for quick updates! :) This one is fairly short, so I figured I'd post it soon so we can get to the action which starts, ahem... in the next chapter. ;)****Anyway, it's mostly training fluff. Still necessary and goes very well with the overall plot. Plus, I absolutely LOVE the boys' relationship with their grandfather.**

**Oh, and shout out & big thanks to Aurora528 for reviewing and telling me what 'OC' stood for. Lol. ;)**

**DISCLAIMER: Well, you know. 3 Ninjas. Not mine. I claim only my imagination.**

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**Chapter 3**

The following morning was supposed to be another typical day of ninja training with their Grandpa, or so the boys thought. Grandpa Mori seemed to be quite taken with the fact that it was their last summer of formal lessons and decided that he would work his grandsons to the core. Even his early morning test that he had prepared for the boys that day was one for the books.

"Rocky! Colt! Tum Tum!" he called from downstairs.

Rocky opened an eye. Turning his head, he saw his brothers still sleeping soundly next to him and the small window in their attic bedroom bore no light; it must still be early. Sure enough, when Rocky peeked at the digital watch he kept on his wrist, it blinked five-thirty AM.

Rocky sat up slightly and leaned over his two brothers, shoving them as he did so, but lightly at first. "Psst, guys," he said quietly.

This was enough to cause a flicker of movement from Colt, but he wasn't as lucky with Tum Tum. Rocky sighed and heard their grandfather yelling their names for the second time. "Oi! Wake up!" he demanded, this time shouting and shoving them more forcefully. This seemed to have done the trick, though still not as effectively as he had hoped.

"Bite me," Colt grumbled as he turned away from Rocky and dug his head further into the pillow.

Tum Tum, though he was now awake, kept his eyes shut and his mouth half open. "What… time… is it?"

"Five thirty," Rocky answered simply as Grandpa called out for the third time that morning, this time louder and with a tint of impatience.

It was Grandpa's cries from downstairs which finally roused Colt. "You've got to be kidding me," he mumbled, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He looked to Rocky, who was already out of bed and getting dressed. "Five thirty? In the _morning?_"

"Grandpa must want to get started early," he replied, not looking at his brother as he was concentrating on tying his ninja gi.

"But at _five_ – freakin' – _thirty?_" Colt groaned, and his brother merely shrugged in response. Colt cursed inwardly before throwing his blanket aside and smacking Tum Tum's head. "Wake up, Tum," he said in a monotone.

Grandpa, usually quite frivolous during the morning tasks, was stern that morning, his face stoic and his eyes unsmiling. He watched as his three grandsons came downstairs together, still recovering from the early hour. With the exception of Rocky, who seemed quite alert, the other two boys, had their heads hung low and their eyes half open, and they didn't seem to notice their grandfather.

Grandpa Mori slowly backed himself outside of the cabin. "Let's see what you have learned, boys," he said in an undertone.

Rocky's first step off of the staircase was a creaky one, a _loud_ creak, one that they had not noticed before. Surely, they would notice a house malfunction as obvious as this, unless…

Rocky whiplashed his head suddenly, eyes widening, realizing and reacting simultaneously. "Guys, get down!" he yelled as he caught himself on the floor, Colt diving right next to him as several shiny objects blurred past them, launching themselves through the house, and piercing the wall where their heads were mere seconds ago.

Tum Tum had heard too late, but was luckily walking far behind his brothers, the last one missing him by only inches. His eyes widened as he slowly turned his head and gaped at the row of ninja stars that had barely missed penetrating his skull.

"_Shit_," Colt cursed from the floor. That had woken him right up.

"Those are real," Tum Tum realized, his fingertip poking them cautiously. He, too, was now wide-awake.

"Is he crazy?" Colt cried. "What if those _actually_ hit one of us? Grandpa's lost his mind." Colt's hands made his way to his sides as if about to push himself off the ground, and Rocky noticed that he was keen on getting up at the very moment.

"Don't move," Rocky ordered, stopping Colt mid-push up. "That's not all." He looked up from the floor as if sniffing the air and scoped his surroundings trying to find any minor differences that Grandpa may have made to the cabin.

"What do you mean 'that's not all'? What else could be more dangerous than shurikens aimed at your head?" Colt asked, his voice thick with sarcasm.

"I think it's safe to get up," Rocky replied calmly. He and Colt nodded to each other and got up together, joining Tum Tum's side. The three ninjas stood still for several seconds, not daring to take another step, to shift in place, or even breathe.

"Now what?" Tum Tum whispered, his feet rooted to the floor.

Rocky mustered up some courage and inhaled deeply, which felt quite refreshing considering he felt like he was holding his breath for awhile. "This is Grandpa. He wouldn't endanger us. He must think we can handle this." Colt and Tum Tum nodded. "Just keep your eyes open."

The boys shared a nervous look before taking a step forward. Another loud creak, but it was undoubtedly not as loud as the one that triggered that shurikens and rightfully caused nothing. Bravely, they took another step. Nothing. And another step. Again, nothing.

The boys looked at each other again and shrugged. "Maybe that _was_ all," Rocky said, his voice relieved and his body relaxing.

"Wow, Grandpa, you've really outdone yourself," Colt said.

"C'mon, he's probably outside," the eldest brother told them.

Rocky, Colt, and Tum Tum managed a lighthearted chuckle amongst themselves before making their way towards the door where Grandpa Mori was waiting outside. With Rocky leading the way, his last step before reaching the air of the fresh outdoors did not creak. It was more of a crack. This time, the three boys were ready for it as they simultaneously somersaulted in various directions leaving three razor-sharp swords to swoosh through the air and stab the hardwood floor where they once stood.

Grandpa clapped his hands and chuckled lightly from outside as he made his way back towards the cabin to admire his work. The scene in front of him was quite amusing to say the least; Rocky had landed on the dining table with Tum Tum nearby on top of the kitchen counter, while Colt had executed a tumbling pass to land back on the second step of the staircase.

"Good morning, boys," Grandpa Mori greeted from the door.

"Did we pass?" Tum Tum asked stupidly, towering over them, the top of his head nearly touching the ceiling. He then proceeded to jump down from the kitchen counter.

"Are you alive?" their grandfather replied.

Tum Tum unceremoniously felt his body for any stab wounds or gaping holes, but to his relief, he was still quite solid. "I-I think so."

"Then, yes, you pass."

Colt heaved a sigh of relief. "Grandpa, that was… That was _intense_," he breathed, stepping down from the staircase, but deliberately avoiding the loud creaky step.

"I agree," Rocky said, now also standing on solid ground.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that, but I never doubted your abilities. After this day, I will no longer test you every morning."

By the time they were done with the most extreme and dangerous of all of Grandpa's morning antics, the sun had already taken its place in the blue sky, and Grandpa proceeded with his usual lessons. It was still early summer, and just because their mornings weren't going to be quite as interesting from now on, ninja training would continue until the end of the season.

Executing stance after stance of martial arts was tiring, but the boys embraced it and all its splendor. Practicing with various ninja weapons and sparring with each other were also quite invigorating. Their days were numbered and Rocky couldn't help but think that every day they practiced was another day closer to completing their training. Sure, it gave him a sense of accomplishment, but he wasn't sure if he was quite ready to give up this life. Colt and Tum Tum seemed to agree, but chose not to disclose it. Their actions, however, were enough to tell him that they had also felt the same way as their determination and passion were unwavering throughout the day.

"Hey Grandpa," Rocky greeted as he approached him during one of their rare breaks. Grandpa Mori was sitting on one of the wooden steps outside the cabin, admiring the weather and absorbing the beauty of nature.

"Yes, Rocky," Grandpa Mori said, raising an expectant eyebrow at his grandson.

"This summer… would this really be… our last?" Rocky asked, not sure if he wanted to know the answer.

"Yes," Grandpa replied simply, his eyes smiling.

Rocky drew out a mournful sigh as he stepped forward and sat down next to his grandfather. "I understand that we've learned all we can, but I love ninja. I can't… I can't just _stop_ after this summer. I'm sure none of us can." He looked at the ground, unable to meet him in the eye as he spoke.

Grandpa Mori chuckled lightly. "Rocky," he began. His eldest grandson finally faced him, his eyes full of grief, and Grandpa continued. "All I said was that you have completed your ninja _training_. I never said that you couldn't continue practicing ninja with me during your summers."

Rocky's eyes lit up. "You mean…?"

"I'm not going anywhere. My cabin will still be here. As long as I'm here, you boys are welcome to visit me every summer."

"Really? That's great, Grandpa! I just thought—"

Grandpa Mori continued to laugh as he shook his head. "I can never ask you to give up this ninja lifestyle. Look at me, I couldn't."

Rocky laughed along with him. "I guess you're right."

"And during the school year, you and your brothers can help me at the dojo where my other students train. I believe you have already met two of them, Jet and River."

"Oh yeah… I forgot about that."

"Well, that's settled then."

"Thanks for the talk, Grandpa."

Grandpa Mori smiled. "You're welcome. But no more talking, Rocky," he ordered as he stood up. "Get your brothers. We are not done today."

"Yes sir," Rocky asserted, standing up straight military-style. He suppressed a smile that was creeping from the corner of his mouth, but as he left to retrieve Colt and Tum Tum, there was an undeniable upbeat step in his walk.

Colt and Tum Tum were sitting on a nearby tree in the woods, their backs against the large tree trunk when Rocky arrived. Tum Tum was leaning sideways and was dangerously close to falling onto Colt as he was taking a much needed power nap after waking up so early that morning. Colt, however, was wide-awake and talking to an unknown person on his cell phone. Rocky, who couldn't hide his contentment any longer, approached them with a wide grin.

"How are you able to get reception out here?" Rocky inquired.

Colt looked up at his brother. "It's weird. I think this is the only spot where my cell phone actually works," he replied, and then just as quickly, turned his attention back to his phone. "…hey, sorry… yeah, that was Rocky."

"Grandpa says break's over," Rocky told them.

"Oh okay," Colt nodded, again looking up at him momentarily, and then speaking to the phone. "…yeah, I gotta go… okay, talk to you later… bye."

Rocky cocked an eyebrow as Colt hung up. "Who was that?" he asked, though he had his suspicions.

"No one," Colt answered quickly as he nudged Tum Tum awake. "Oi Tum! Naptime's over."

Tum Tum stirred and opened his eyes, his hand instinctively going up to wipe the drool from the side of his mouth. "Is it… is it lunchtime already?"

"Nope, more training," Rocky replied. "Let's go guys."

Several hours later, after more stances of martial arts, more lashing and striking the air with their swords, more throwing of ninja stars and darts at targets, more practice with other weapons, such as the sai, the bo staff, or nunchucks, and more hand-to-hand combat against each other and Grandpa, the three ninjas had never felt more exhausted from their ninja training, but they also had never felt more proud.

"Boys, I know I have asked you this question many times," Grandpa Mori lectured. His three grandsons were now standing in a line in front of him listening diligently, having just concluded the day's training. They looked to him with utmost respect and admiration as he continued.

"But tell me again, what are the four elements of a ninja?" Grandpa Mori questioned, but did not wait for an answer. "All these years, I have taught you how to become a ninja… how to master the four elements. You are ninjas. You are a mind…" he began.

"Body," Rocky said.

"Spirit," Colt continued.

"And heart," Tum Tum finished.

"Yes, we know that pretty well don't we? But what exactly does that mean?"

"A ninja's mind is strong-willed and disciplined; he is cunning and resourceful," Rocky started.

"His heart is pure and passionate; he is always loyal to what's important to him," Colt interpreted.

"And his body… well, his body is always full of food," quipped Tum Tum, offering a toothy grin in the process.

They laughed. "I think that's just you, you dork," Colt teased.

The youngest brother smirked. "Okay, well, his body…" Tum Tum thought for a minute, and then said, "His body is full of strength and control. He moves with stealth and agility," he concluded, satisfied with his answer. Rocky looked at Tum Tum and grinned, while Colt gave his little brother a friendly nudge as if to say 'good job.'

Grandpa Mori smiled proudly. "And his spirit… his spirit is never broken," he said. "The four stands of rope… for as long as you remember it, and keep it tied and connected, it will never be undone."

* * *

**[A/N] He's a brilliant man, that Grandpa. Gotta love him. :)**

**And just a quick aside, I hope you're not too surprised at the cussing, which they don't really do in the movies, being PG and all. But Colt is a teenager after all, and I think he would just naturally say those things. In my eyes, they are not so cookie-cutter! ;) By the way, if anyone was wondering... I write them as the ages 17, 16, and 13. It's unclear how old they were, but this seemed right to me.**

**I really like this chapter a lot. I hope you do, too.****Please R&R!**

**Trouble brews in Chapter 4! Don't miss it! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**[A/N] SORRY! I know it's been awhile... but better late than never right? Thanks again for the REVIEWS! You all are the greatest! :) I don't have much to say really. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Just a glimpse of the madness to come...**

**DISCLAIMER: Still not mine. Just borrowing! :)**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Inside his home, a man in a black business suit was pacing around a room. The room was modest in size, its look typical of a conference room with a rectangular table in the middle, a group of fifteen men occupying its seats. The man, dark-haired with a well-trimmed mustache, continued to walk back and forth, pausing occasionally, his forehead furrowed in deep thought. He was talking out loud, not necessarily to anyone in particular, but simply uttering a string of thoughts, which were all unrelated in nature. Still, the fifteen men were listening intently and hanging onto every word.

"Money," said the man, his hand resting on his chin. The men nodded and mumbled incoherently amongst themselves.

"We need money," he announced, nodding to himself. Again, the men nodded in agreement. "Yes, money," he repeated, emphasizing the thought. He looked up and the fifteen men sat up straighter in their seats.

The man clicked his tongue. "You two." He pointed to two of his men at random, and they immediately perked up in attention. "Find out who owes me. Get my money."

"Yes sir," they said without question.

"And do whatever it takes."

His two men said nothing and merely nodded uneasily, their gulps audible. Still, the boss was unfazed and was again, pacing around the room and mumbling to himself. The boss had spoken, and they had their orders.

…

"Hey! You guys made it!" River exclaimed, greeting her new friends and giving each of them a hug.

Rocky, Colt, and Tum Tum had just arrived at the Sandwich Shack, one of the latest hangout spots in the city. The Shack, as everyone called it, was one of the newest restaurants in town, but the additional commodities had immediately made it popular especially among the younger crowd. It had a gaming area, billiards, and computers where you can access the Internet for a small hourly rate, among other things.

A few days had passed since the five friends first met, and though they had tried to meet up several times, their schedules weren't always so accommodating. Rocky, Colt, and Tum Tum were usually busy with Grandpa's ninja lessons, and Jet and River had summer jobs, so it was a rare event when all of them had free time. Nevertheless, Colt and River had made a habit of talking to each other on the phone on those few occasions when they could spare a minute, which Rocky had suspected all along.

"Hey, thanks for the invite," Colt said.

River grinned. "No problem," she replied as she led the boys to the counter. "Are you guys hungry?"

Tum Tum nodded. "Always."

Jet was already at the ordering station when they arrived. He threw each of the three brothers a friendly high-five in greeting before turning to the guy behind the counter. "Hey Peter, what's going on?"

"Hey what's up Jet, my man?" the guy named Peter greeted. He was tall, mid-20's, with brown, disheveled hair as if he just got out of bed.

"Eh, nothing new," Jet replied coolly.

"Well, you must be hungry at least because you're here!" Peter chuckled. "So what can I get ya?"

"The usual for myself and River," Jet answered. "If you don't mind, kind sir."

"Not at all."

River smiled at their friend in thanks and then, turned to the three brothers in introduction. "By the way, Pete, these are our friends, Rocky, Colt, and Tum Tum."

Peter nodded in greeting. "Good to meet ya. What will you guys have? And don't worry about it, it's on me today. I am happy to serve any friends of these two." He beamed at the twins.

"Cool, thanks!" Tum Tum said gratefully.

Jet smirked. "Yeah, thanks Pete."

As soon as the boys gave their orders, the five of them took a booth near the entrance. The beautiful afternoon sunshine beamed through the glass window, and River couldn't help but admire its splendor. She gladly took a window seat with Colt sliding in next to her. "Isn't this place great?" she asked, scoping the restaurant.

"Our friend, Pete, over there and his family just opened it up a few weeks ago. He's always wanted to start a business. Cool, huh?" Jet told them, who was now sitting across from his sister.

The three brothers seemed to agree as Tum Tum marveled at the arcade games before taking his place next to Jet.

Rocky was the last person to sit down, distracted by several girls who went into a giggling fit when he walked past them. He didn't make the situation any better when he decided to throw them a killer smile. "Yeah… it's definitely cool," he said absentmindedly as he finally made himself comfortable on the chair at the end of the table.

Meanwhile, two men rolled into the parking lot of the Sandwich Shack in a black sedan. The brilliance of the afternoon sunshine seemed to dim at their arrival, almost frowning upon them. It was obvious that they were not looking to eat sandwiches or play games. Their mission was clear: they were looking for one person.

"There it is," the driver said, pointing at the new establishment. A wicked grin curled from the corner of his mouth as he looked to his partner in the passenger seat.

The other man lowered his sunglasses and eyed the place up and down. "That's it? The Sandwich Shack huh? Nice place."

"Too bad we won't be playing quite so nice."

Inside, the five friends ate their meals, the conversation amongst them lighthearted as they remained oblivious to the danger that lurked on the other side of the walls. When they were done, Rocky and Jet started on a game of pool and Tum Tum headed straight to the arcades, which left Colt and River at the table. They looked at each other and shared a shy smile, but neither of them said a word as River tapped her fingers on the table.

Colt admired River from afar, noticing the tiny details of her delicate features, like the dimples on her cheeks that lit up whenever she smiled. He wanted to say something, anything, but his mouth had gone dry in her presence.

After several days of casual phone conversation, Colt had grown quite taken with her. Conversation never faltered, and though they argued a lot, mostly about trivial matters, she had such a carefree attitude that she never took it to heart and would laugh about it later. Colt had never met a girl quite like her. He had enjoyed every moment, and soon, he found himself looking forward to talking to her again.

Colt smiled in his reverie and decided to finally speak up. "I can't believe I can talk with you on the phone for hours, and can't think of anything to say in person."

River giggled, thankful for the break in silence, and Colt grinned at the brightened dimples. "Well, you can always pretend like I'm Jet or one of your brothers. Would that make it easier?"

"Maybe." Colt shrugged. "But I wouldn't try to kiss Jet or one of my brothers," he said coolly, grin unwavering.

"Oh…" Rived paused. "Wait, _what?_"

"So maybe I like you."

She raised an eyebrow. "Maybe?"

"Okay, I _do_ like you."

River smiled and looked to Colt in adoration. "Well, I like you, too." She then leaned towards him and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Colt was stunned, the spot which her lips had touched suddenly feeling hot. River then placed her head on his shoulder, and all he could do was pose a satisfied grin feeling immensely relieved that she had felt the same way.

But the state of contentment was short-lived. The Sandwich Shack had just survived its lunch rush when the two unwelcome guests burst through the front door. As aggressive as they were, fortunately, they did not appear as if they were going to commit armed robbery or that they even cared about the other customers.

Even so, it was enough for the five friends to notice, and they eyed the two men suspiciously. On their guard, Rocky and Jet stopped their game of pool, Colt and River ended their conversation, and Tum Tum paused his video game. They watched patiently from the sidelines, but they were ready to take action if the situation called for it.

Nevertheless, the female employee greeted the two men with a smile. "Hi! Welcome to the Sandwich Shack! What can I get—?"

"Where is he?" one man cut off, his voice quiet and his head low. The employee's smile disappeared instantly as the man's hand casually flicked his jacket back to show that he was carrying a piece and that he meant business.

The employee, clearly horrified, shook her head. "Wh-who sir? I-I don't know who y-you're talking about."

"The owner, Peter," the same man said.

"I-I think he is gone already."

"_Gone?_" He shouted, and then realizing that he drew unnecessary attention upon himself, lowered his voice again. "_Where_ did he go?" he asked, and a few strange looks were diverted. His anger, however, did not dissipate.

"I honestly d-don't know s-sir."

His patience continued to wear thin. "I'm gonna ask you again… where can I find him?"

"I'm s-sorry, sir!" She continued to shake her head in panic. "I d-don't know where h-he is!"

Finally losing his patience, or the lack thereof, the man got angry, pulled out his gun, cocking it in the process, and pointed it at the helpless employee. He didn't care if he caused a ruckus anymore. He _needed_ to find Peter, no matter what it took.

"Please don't hurt me!" she screamed. The helpless employee was trembling uncontrollably now, and more screams followed as the entire restaurant began to notice the disturbance at the counter.

The five friends stood up in defiance, but the other man, who had been keeping an eye on the rest of the restaurant, pulled out his own gun to ensure that none of them caused trouble as well as to threaten silence among the other terrified customers. He grinned amusingly upon noticing the looks of resentment and conviction upon their faces.

"You tell your friend, Peter," the man whispered to the employee, caressing her face with his gun. His hot breath burned and the metal of the gun stung. She closed her eyes causing a fearful tear to fall. "You tell him… you tell him that we came by looking for him."

With that, both men holstered their guns and stormed back out of the restaurant. Colt and River remained affixed and glowered at the door they had just vacated. Standing near the front table, they were among the few who had heard the whole thing. They gave each other a meaningful look just as the other three ran up to them.

"What the hell just happened?" Rocky asked.

"I… I don't know. Why were those guys looking for Pete?" River voiced to no one in particular as she was still recovering from the shock.

Tum Tum's jaw dropped. "They were looking for Pete? _Your _friend, Pete?"

"Well, he did ask for the owner, so yeah, that's Pete," Colt said.

"But why Pete?" Jet asked.

River shook her head, but did not answer her brother's question as her attention was now diverted towards the counter and the traumatized employee who had finally burst into tears. "I'm gonna go comfort Vanessa," she said instead. "I'll be back." And she left without another word.

The guys nodded and watched as River made her way to the other side of the restaurant before Rocky, Tum Tum, and Jet turned back to Colt in question. Colt sighed. "They're looking for him, but didn't say why."

Rocky furrowed his forehead, as he tended to do when he was deep in thought, and gazed out of the window. His attention was peaked at once. "They're still here," he whispered.

The others soon followed his gaze. Sure enough, the two men were still outside, arguing heatedly inside their black sedan. "Maybe they're staking out, in case Pete comes back," commented Jet.

"Or maybe they're just too pissed off to leave," Tum Tum said.

"Hmm… Good point."

The four guys continued to watch from the window as the silent squabble between the two men ensued. Their tempers were flaring so much so that the guys were almost certain that one of the men would shoot the other until finally, the driver threw up his hands furiously and then slammed them on the steering wheel. He followed by turning on the ignition with a scowl on his face.

"Maybe we should go…" Rocky said, still looking out the window.

"Go where?" Tum Tum asked.

Jet raised an eyebrow. "What? _Follow them?_"

"Why not? They'll just come back anyways," Colt pointed out.

Jet nodded as the car started to drive away from view. "Right. I'll go get River. You guys start the car."

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**[A/N] Sorry to leave it like that... I don't mean to be cruel! It helps sets it up for the upcoming chapter which won't disappoint. Promise. Still, I hope you have an idea where I'm going with this. Obviously, the five are gonna bite off more than they can chew going after these guys. Who woulda thunk right? Right. These are the 3 Ninjas, after all. Haha. ;)**

**As for, Colt & River. Self-explanatory I think. I guess some of you saw that coming! Gosh, am I**_**that**_**predictable? Haha. ;) Either way, I think they're sweet. More to come for those two. :)**

**Please R&R! If you will, that would be total awesomeness.**

**Action-packed chapter NEXT! :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**[A/N] Hello folks! Finally got a break from working, and the madness I call Life. Unfortunately, it won't last long, so I thought I'd get an update in for you guys! All the reviews have been absolutely wonderful. Keep 'em coming! Good or bad, I really appreciate them. You guys ROCK. :)**

**Next two chapters will be fun I hope. They'll be quick updates because they kinda go together.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own much.**

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**Chapter 5**

"Rocky, hurry up! You're gonna lose 'em!" Colt cried from the back seat.

"Colt, chill. I got it, okay," Rocky shot back.

In pursuit of the black sedan, Rocky had volunteered to drive his car as he carefully trailed the culprits from the Sandwich Shack. Jet was in the passenger seat while the other three rode nervously from the back. That is, with the exception of Colt who clearly wanted to play backseat driver.

"There. There they are," Jet whispered, pointing at the car which had begun to slow down.

Rocky did the same as he stationed his car just beyond a barb-wired fence where 'Keep Out' signs were posted every few feet. They stopped for a brief moment and continued to watch the sedan's every move.

From afar, they saw it turn into what appeared to be an abandoned lot. Several rows of storage garages were also on site as well as a large run-downed warehouse. As they looked on, however, it was clear that the place wasn't completely abandoned or unused. The black sedan had parked itself across from the warehouse where lots of people were gathered and partaking in activities that they could only assume weren't legal.

"What are they doing?" Tum Tum wondered.

"That's what we're gonna find out," Colt said.

As soon as they saw the two men step out of their vehicle and walk away from view, Rocky turned his car around and parked it in a secure location—far enough so no one suspected their intrusion, but close enough to where they could make a clean getaway.

Colt got out of Rocky's car first. He studied his surroundings for a few seconds, and then gave a thumbs-up signal when he was certain that the coast was clear. The other four stepped out of the car and followed as Colt was already making a run for the nearest cover.

The five of them proceeded until they were all close enough to see the action just beyond the warehouse. Before long, five heads peered from behind a storage garage looking towards the dodgy activities just ahead of them. A few of the men were armed, and it appeared that they were overseeing the others move large wooden boxes from several unmarked delivery trucks into the warehouse. There were about twenty to thirty men at most.

"We have to get inside that warehouse," Jet said with conviction.

"How are we gonna do that?" Tum Tum exclaimed.

As if deep in thought, they watched a couple more boxes come and go in silence before Rocky finally spoke up. "I got a plan," he said, and with that, the five heads disappeared.

Moments later, the ninjas had snuck through the length of the lot, and were now posted behind a delivery truck. Rocky's head peered from behind it and watched a lone man walk past them. He looked to his left and then to his right. "Okay guys, now," he motioned to the others.

They scrambled cautiously towards an unmanned truck whose door was left slightly ajar, and slipped into the back one by one. Once inside, they immediately marveled upon the countless number of wooden boxes, of all shapes and sizes.

Then, they heard a man's voice yell from outside, "I think we should start unloading this one!"

"I hope he doesn't mean _this_ one," Colt said anxiously. But he got his answer soon enough as footsteps were heard and were getting louder and louder by the second.

Wide-eyed, Jet proceeded to state the obvious. "Um… I think he does mean this one."

Rocky and Colt hopped into their own box without any hesitation. Jet and River immediately followed suit, while Tum Tum struggled to find his own as he paced frantically back and forth.

"Stop being picky, Tum! Just get into one!" Rocky urged. Tum Tum dove into the nearest box that could accommodate him just as the door flew wide open.

"Yeah, this is it," they overheard a man say as he stepped inside the truck. He took a stack of small boxes in his arms and grunted as he carried them back out. "I'm gonna need help with the big ones over here!" he yelled.

"It's hot in here," Tum Tum complained when the truck became silent again.

"Shut up, Tum. They're gonna hear you!" said the voice of Colt.

Tum Tum groaned and shifted uncomfortably in his box. He was sure he wasn't the only one who was feeling this way. All of them had to share the space with whatever each box contained, which was anywhere from harmless artifacts and antiques, plush stuffed animals, to oversized weapons, and needless to say, it was a tight fit.

The ninjas waited. Rocky's plan was now in full effect and from this point on, there was no going back. They were now treading in dangerous waters all fully aware that they were taking the risk of separation. Still, they had decided to go through with the plan because this was probably their best shot at getting inside.

River nearly gasped, but covered her mouth just in time as she felt her box being lifted up and carried away. She heard one of the men carrying her comment on how unexpectedly heavy this particular box was. "Ugh," she thought to herself offended. "Heavy? Did he just call me _heavy?_"

Shifting slightly, she peeped through a small opening in her box and saw Colt also being picked up while Rocky, Tum Tum, and Jet stayed behind. "Good luck guys," she thought as the first two boxes made their way inside.

River was right to anticipate a rough landing as her box was hastily thrown aside. Colt seemed to have had a similar trip, their boxes landing next to each other in the back of the warehouse. Once the men were out of sight, the pair caught a glimpse of each other through their peepholes. Colt nodded to her suggesting that it was safe to climb out, and as soon as they were liberated, River gave Colt a hug of relief.

"I think I got a splinter on my ass," Colt said when they let go.

River giggled. "We'll take care of your ass later." He shot her a smirk and River made a face. "Sorry, that came out wrong." Colt laughed. "Oh, will you quit! You know what I mean! We have to find the others first." Colt continued to chuckle, and a frustrated River huffed past him.

Colt and River began to move furtively, using the many boxes around them for cover. They headed towards the front where they could see more easily what was going on at the entrance of the warehouse where the other three would be hauled in.

"There," River whispered, nodding towards the entrance.

Colt followed her gaze and saw five more boxes being carried inside, three of which housed Rocky, Tum Tum, and Jet. They continued to watch as Rocky and Tum Tum's boxes were placed safely on the other side of the warehouse. Jet's box, however, was lagging behind and before it could reach its destination, a black Mercedes Benz drove in unexpectedly, halting the procession of boxes.

The driver stepped out and opened the back door for his passenger, and a tall man with dark hair and a well-trimmed mustache soon came into view. The man took off his name-brand shades as he made his presence known. His face was expressionless. Dressed in a crisp suit, he carried himself with his head held high. It was easy to tell that this was the man that ran the show. He straightened his coat as he approached his right hand man.

Colt and River looked at each other nervously.

"Everything is in and on time, sir," the man said, handing his boss several documents.

"Very good," the boss said in approval after reviewing them briefly. He looked past him and noticed the fresh boxes being loaded inside. "What's in those?" he asked.

By now, the men who were carrying Jet had placed his box on the ground and subsequently, it was the only one in their boss's direct view.

"I believe these are the 'stuffed' toys, sir," another man replied.

"Ah, I see. Good. Let me see them," the boss ordered, waving his hand.

Colt and River watched helplessly as one of the men approached Jet's box. River's eyes widened. "_No!_" she gasped. "Colt, we have to do something!"

* * *

**[A/N] Yes. I know, this is much shorter than my usual… & cliffies are just plain cruel. Haha. ;) I just couldn't bring myself to put the two chapters together. Next update will be quick I hope.**

**Lots more ACTION in the next chapter! Don't miss it. :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**[A/N] Quick apology in the delay in updating. I swear I meant to get this up sooner! But I moved to a new place & did not have internet for awhile. Well, I do now, so yay. :)**

**I love you ALL for the reviews… & patience! THANK YOU! :D**

**Lots of madness in this chapter, so I hope I don't lose you! Just keep in mind that the events are all happening at the same time! ;)**

**DISCLAIMER: Just a fan.**

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**Chapter 6**

_Crash_.

The loud noise echoed throughout the warehouse, triggering the boss and his men to turn their heads towards the direction of the source. The man near Jet's box stopped abruptly, his hand hovering dangerously close to its wooden lid.

Startled, Colt and River jumped, their eyes instinctively refocused towards the crash. River heaved a sigh of relief thankful for their luck, but Colt knew better. "That's gotta be Rocky and Tum Tum."

"Thank God. That was way _too _close."

Rocky and Tum Tum stared at the box full of fragile items that had fallen, or rather, had been pushed, smashing both the wooden box and its contents into pieces. Just like Colt and River, they had been watching the events unfold from afar. Rocky knew immediately that Jet was in danger when he didn't see his box taken to where he and Tum Tum were, so he decided to take certain measures.

"Go see what the hell that was!" the boss yelled angrily, setting his men off to a mad scramble. He hated it when his merchandise would fall due to instability and carelessness. He usually lost a lot of money due to damaged goods.

The east side of the warehouse was dim, camouflaging Rocky and Tum Tum as they waited patiently for their unwary opponents. A group of men began to come in a rush towards them, and they couldn't help but grin at their accomplishment.

"Here they come," Rocky observed from behind a tower of boxes. "You ready Tum?" he asked turning to his brother, to which Tum Tum responded by nodding and giving him a thumbs-up signal.

The men arrived and perused the scene, but there seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary except for the fallen box. "Hey look," one man said, pointing at the mess the broken pieces had created. All the men gazed upon it.

Using this distraction to his advantage, Rocky quickly executed a sneak attack as he grabbed one from behind and knocked him out with a single blow.

"_What the…?_"

The men's attention was instantly diverted to their beaten colleague as confusion and panic swept over them. They looked around frantically for the cause, but the ninja had already disappeared without a trace.

Following his brother's lead, Tum Tum chose a more direct approach as he crouched low to the ground, rolling and low kicking, while Rocky persisted with sneak attacks from all sides. Some stumbled across Tum Tum while others fell at the hands of Rocky. In all the commotion, the men were incapable of fighting back; it was as if an invisible force were taking them down one by one.

Meanwhile, those who stayed behind continued to wait until the others came back, but patience was starting to wear thin. A few of them shared a look only to jump at the sound of their boss yelling at the top of his lungs. "What the hell is going on back there?" he bellowed impatiently. "Go find out!"

The remaining men nodded and started to make their way towards the noise, but this time, with their guns pulled out.

"Hey, those guys have guns, we gotta go and help—" River started to say, but before she could finish, Rocky and Tum Tum appeared at her side, grinning. Startled, but happily so, she hugged them both. "Rocky! Tum Tum! How did you—?"

"Later," Rocky quickly interrupted. "Right now, we have to get Jet out of that box."

It didn't take long for several men to return to the front of the warehouse, dragging along their injured acquaintances with their guns pointed at their backs. After searching for the source of the disturbance in vain, they knew the boss wasn't going to be happy.

The boss scowled and grabbed one of them by the shirt collar. "Tell me what happened!" he demanded, shaking him irritably.

"Someone is back there," he said, his bruised face contorted in pain. "We didn't see who it was."

He released the injured man and took a deep breath in his attempt to maintain his composure. "You all are responsible for this," the boss said, the anger dissipating from his voice though they remained in his eyes. "Find them. Find the intruders."

His minions went their separate ways without question while the boss walked away from the scene, got into his car, and drove away. This was not where he wanted to be; if this disturbance was police-related, he would be caught red-handed.

When the noise dissipated around him, Jet raised the lid of his box slightly and allowed his eyes to do a quick scan of his surroundings. The boss was gone and his men had scattered around, away from him. Jet took it as his cue to climb out.

Free from the box's confinement, Jet was dusting the wooden remnants from his clothes when River flung her arms around him nearly in tears. "Jet! Thank goodness! I thought—"

"I'm fine," Jet cut in. He noted the relief evident on the others' faces as they reunited with him, and he smiled in thanks.

"Nice to have you back, man," Rocky said.

"Thanks guys. It's nice to _be_ back. I thought I'd never get out of that box. And did anyone else get a splinter on their ass?"

River giggled while Colt nodded agreeably. "You and me both."

They laughed as a feeling of lightness swept over them. They had just saved Jet, but they were still far from safe, and Rocky soon realized this. "We gotta get out of here," he urged. "I think we've seen more than enough."

"Yeah, enough to get us on the witness protection program," Tum Tum added sarcastically. Colt and Jet shot him a wry smile.

Without another word, the five of them proceeded to run out of the warehouse, but unfortunately, were denied an easy escape. "There they are!" one man yelled, effectively informing the entirety of his fellow thugs. The five friends turned, eyes widened in panic, as several gun shots were fired and forcing the five to separate once again.

"RUN!" Tum Tum yelled.

"_Shit_," Jet said.

"Head to the car!" Rocky cried as he ran one way, with Jet and Tum Tum at his heels. Colt's hand instinctively went to River's, as they both ran in the opposite direction.

Colt and River stopped just outside the warehouse and posted safely behind a delivery truck. River stood next to Colt as he peeked from the corner and counted the men on the other side. "There are five of them," he noted to her. "I'll go in first, and you follow after. Cool?"

River nodded.

"Okay," Colt said, but before he could go in, River grabbed a fistful of his shirt and without warning, pressed her lips against his.

Colt was startled before he fully realized what they were doing. He was meeting her lips for the first time. This was… this felt _great!_ Colt soon deepened the kiss as he closed his eyes, instantly falling into the moment. It was short and sweet, but for that fleeting second, he had forgotten where he was. She, this kiss, was all that mattered.

As soon as it was over, Colt looked at her taken aback, but was smiling just the same. That was definitely a nice surprise. River, who was now blushing a deep crimson, smiled back and shrugged. "Good luck."

...

Rocky ran as he fought his way through the sea of henchmen. Managing to get away, he stopped abruptly and hid behind a storage garage to catch his breath. His head peered around it and noticed a few men standing guard just a few feet away and scoping the scenery for any sign of him.

Without warning, another man snuck up from behind him, taking him by surprise as one hand covered his mouth and the other arm around his neck in a chokehold. Rocky struggled, but was eventually able to release the hold, ending with the man flipped over onto his back. Others soon followed and tried to stop him, but they were no match for his ninja prowess and strength as they were beaten one by one.

"Who are you anyway?" one man asked from the ground.

"Your worst nightmare," Rocky replied smugly.

...

"Come out, come out wherever you are, you little punks!"

Nearby, Jet and Tum Tum were also using the storage garages for cover. Jet peeked from the corner and caught a glimpse of the man, who was now whistling as if luring a few dogs. Jet smirked before turning to Tum Tum, and then, put his finger to his lips to hush him. Jet gave him a meaningful look and threw him a few hand gestures in silent conversation. Tum Tum grinned mischievously as he immediately understood, returning a nod and a thumbs-up to Jet.

"Hey, I'm over here you idiots!" Tum Tum called out as he went out into the open and revealed himself. Just as they thought, the men started to chase him. Tum Tum ran away and instantly hid himself once again, leaving the men dumbfounded at his sudden disappearance.

It was then that Jet and Tum Tum took advantage of the diversion to catch the enemies' off-guard; both of them attacked from both sides as they muscled through the handful of men who were all determined to stop them.

Rocky had finished off another couple of thugs just as Jet and Tum Tum defeated their own. The pair soon caught up with Rocky, his little brother yelling his name from a distance. Rocky looked up as Tum Tum and Jet came rushing towards him. Unfortunately, they seemed to have been followed, and more henchmen were not too far behind.

"Get 'em! They're just kids!" one man shouted, signaling the others to go in pursuit.

"I'd like to see you try buddy," Jet leered.

...

Meanwhile, Colt and River were engaging in a battle of their own at the opposite end of the lot surrounded by oversized semi-trucks. Just as Colt had planned, he ran out first and River followed in after him, but more than five men seemed to have materialized causing the two of them to go separate ways.

Several men chased Colt as he ran and soon, he found himself trapped between two large 18-wheelers. Running towards the opposite end, a few more men appeared to block his escape. Colt slid to a halt.

"You've got nowhere to go!"

Colt looked to his left and then, to his right. Though surrounded, Colt grinned, a slight twinkle in his eyes for he knew the man was mistaken. "That's what you think."

As always, Colt was ready for battle. He single-handedly dealt with his rivals, using the narrow space to his advantage, bouncing off the side of the trucks and fighting in acrobatic fashion. As soon as he was able, Colt went the only direction he could, which was up, as he leaped and climbed his way to the top of the truck.

His opponents looked up in surprise. "What the hell? Go get him!"

Colt smirked, taunting his opponents from above. "See ya!" he yelled after them.

Estranged from Colt, River ran inside the back of the nearest truck to hide from the men that were chasing her. Using a small slit in the doorway to peek outside, she held her breath when she saw the men get closer.

"I bet you the kid is hiding in there."

River's eyes narrowed as she recognized the voice of the man that carried her wooden box. "That asshole called me heavy!" she muttered irritably. The realization had provoked her nerves.

Soon, the door flew wide open, and River ducked lower in her hiding spot as someone stepped inside the truck. "Yoo-hoo… I know you're in here," he called.

As he neared, River inched her fingers towards the most solid thing she could get her hands on. She squeezed it within her grasp and waited patiently for just the right moment before smashing it upon his head. He was knocked out instantly.

The others scrambled inside, but before they had a chance to investigate, River did a somersault over them, landing gracefully on the concrete below and proceeding to beat her opponents with ease.

"Hmph. Serves you right." River taunted by dusting her hands off. Not a moment sooner, Colt reappeared at her side. "And where have _you_ been?" she asked in mock annoyance.

"Busy," Colt replied, smirking. "Are you okay?"

River smiled. "I am now."

"C'mon, let's go," he directed, returning a complacent smirk, as both of them proceeded towards the car.

...

"Rocky! Start the car NOW!" Colt yelled.

Rocky looked up as he neared his car, Jet and Tum Tum closely behind him. Colt and River were hurriedly running towards them having just beaten the last few men who stood in their way to freedom. Rocky jumped into the driver's seat, followed by Jet and Tum Tum who dove in shortly after. With one swift motion, Rocky turned the ignition on and started moving the car just as the last two, Colt and River, hopped inside.

Colt looked outside his window. It seemed that they were lucky this time as no one else seemed to be following them. He leaned back in his chair and relaxed a bit. Much like everyone else, he was still out of breath. "Man, do we go looking for trouble? Or does trouble find us?" he asked.

"I think it's both," Tum Tum replied as the five ninjas drove away to safety.

* * *

**[A/N] Whew! Sorry it took awhile to get out, but I sincerely hope it was worth the wait & that you enjoyed it. This chapter was super fun to write. But as you may have noticed, I'm NOT a fight choreographer, so use your imaginations & fill in the blanks on how they kick ass. Haha. ;)**

**Oh, and yay for first kiss action, too! I must say that I didn't plan that until I started to write it. It just fit there for some reason. :)**

**Lots of questions still yet to be answered. Well, NEXT chapter will explain a lot!**

**'Til next time loves.**


	7. Chapter 7

**[A/N] Hello folks! Here's another update. I would say that we are more than halfway done with this story. :) I'm very excited about that.**

**And I realize that 3 Ninjas fanfics aren't all the rage, but I hope that whoever reads this is enjoying it as much as I like sharing it with you. So if you****read, please review... & let me know what you think. :)**

**DISCLAIMER: Only in my dreams.**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

River had been silent throughout most of the car ride. She had been staring out the window, but the look on her face was very telling. It spelled livid. She couldn't believe what just happened. She almost lost her brother, and it daunted her.

Jet had been watching her from the corner of his eye. He could see the steam coming out of her ears and like a teapot on the stove, was about to explode. He began to count down in his head.

"UGH!"

Jet winced. There she goes. And further, he knew what was coming.

"I…" River exhaled and held up at admonishing finger. "You guys…" She shook her head. "What the _hell_…" River was so angry that she had lost the ability to form sentences.

Her brother turned to her. "I know—"

"So whose smart idea was _that?_" she blurted.

Jet knew it was pointless to argue, but unfortunately, Colt didn't.

"Oh c'mon, you know you wanted to find out what was going on, too!" Colt shot back. "Or you wouldn't have agreed to go."

River shot Colt a fierce look.

_Yikes_. Jet knew that look well. He sighed, and decided to speak up before she could open her mouth again and retaliate. "It was all of our ideas," he told her.

River redirected her glare towards her brother. "And _you!_" she shouted. "You could've been killed!"

"They had guns!" Tum Tum cried. "And… and we got shot at!"

Rocky frowned. "Would you guys shut up?" he demanded.

Crossing her arms, River huffed as she turned away and resumed staring out the window. She was still in a foul mood, but at least she had been silenced by Rocky.

"Because we _did_ find out one thing…" Rocky began. The other guys shot him a questioning look, so he continued matter-of-factly, "…that Peter is in it with some really dangerous people."

Jet nodded. "And now we're gonna find out, straight from the source, what's really going on."

After their mini-adventure, the five friends had decided to go straight to Peter's house. Aside from wanting to cause physical harm to their friend, the twins wanted answers. No, they _needed_ answers. They deserved answers.

"Turn over here, Rock. It's gonna be the third house on your left," Jet instructed. They pulled into the driveway and parked next to a red truck. The twins knew immediately that Peter was home.

Jet rang the doorbell when they reached the front door. A young girl about Tum Tum's age answered it, grinning when she recognized the guests at the door. "Hey Sarah, where's your brother?" Jet asked, peering his head past her.

The girl named Sarah was slightly taken aback. "Um… he's here. He's—" Jet, however, didn't wait for an answer and shoved past her, stomping his way into the house. "In the living room!" she yelled after him.

River exhaled and followed him inside. "Jet… _wait!_"

Confused, Sarah stood awkwardly at the door where the three brothers were left behind. "Um… what's going on?" she asked.

"Long story," Rocky replied.

"And it's probably not a good idea to leave your brother alone with Jet and River right now," Colt added.

"Oh," Sarah nodded slowly before she understood. "_Oh! _Yes, right. Let's go."

It didn't take long for Sarah and the three brothers to find them since all they had to do was follow the yelling and screaming. Peter was sitting on the couch with his back towards them while Jet, who now appeared to be beside himself, had his hands flailing in the air.

"Are you _crazy?_

"I—"

River seemed to also be joining in on the tirade. "What the _hell_ were you thinking?

"Look, I'm—"

"And who were those people?" Jet yelled.

"I didn't mean—"

River wanted to trample him. "I could _kill _you."

"_Woah, _woah Riv." That was Colt, who had rushed to hold River back just in time.

The twins glared at their friend with arms crossed.

Peter waited to speak. "Are you done?"

The twins continued to glare, but said nothing.

Peter let out a sigh. "Look, I'm sorry. What do you want me to say? I didn't _mean_ to get everyone into trouble."

"What's going on, Pete? Who were those people looking for you at the restaurant?" Jet asked, this time with a bit more composure.

"Wait, what people?" Sarah asked confused, looking from one person to the next. Lucky for her, she wasn't working at the restaurant that day and missed all the excitement.

"Yeah, tell us, Pete." River remained annoyed, and Colt was still holding her back a few feet for good measure.

"You put the whole restaurant in danger; those guys were not playing games," Jet said, continuing his guilt trip.

Peter looked up at him, but was speechless.

"What's going on?" Jet asked again.

Peter stared at the floor, unable to meet the glare in his friend's eyes, so he held his head in his hands instead. He knew that he had messed up _big time_ and doubted that his pathetic show of penitence would make up for what he had done.

Shaking his head, Peter confessed, "I borrowed some money, got into it with some bad people."

Colt snorted sarcastically. "Bad? If _that_ isn't the understatement of the century…"

"You can say that again," Tum Tum said.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry," Peter said again. "It's just that I couldn't start the business I wanted with just the money I saved, so I had to borrow some. And I even tried to get a loan, but I didn't get approved."

"Oh, Pete, why didn't you say anything?" Sarah asked her older brother, sympathy stained in her voice as she sat down next to him.

Peter looked at his little sister, pleading with his eyes for forgiveness. "I had to. I had no choice. I did it for you… for Jen…" He trailed off, giving the others the same look he had given his sister before he explained further. "I have to support my family. And Jen… she wants to go to college, and there was no way I could afford for her to go without this money."

Jet sighed, his face softening in understanding. His friend had his reasons, and due to either desperation or stupidity, or a combination of both, he turned to a loan shark. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

"I know," Peter admitted with a slight smile.

River shook her head. "Did you have _any _idea who you were getting involved with?" she questioned, still clearly upset, but had calmed down significantly since she had first walked into the door. She had never seen Peter look so remorseful; it was almost pathetic.

He shook his head.

It was then that the five of them took turns explaining to Peter what happened at the restaurant, describing in detail what the two men looked like and what car they drove, and continuing with their pursuit to the warehouse and the events that transpired there. Finally, they admitted to seeing the dark-haired man.

Peter gasped upon learning the trouble that Jet had been in and blurted a string of apologies. He didn't stop until Jet smacked him in the back of the head and reassured him that he was alive and that a lifetime of free sandwiches would more than make up for it. Jet was only joking about the free sandwiches part, but Peter felt so guilty that he had surprisingly agreed and extended the offer to all five of them.

"I'm _so_ sorry!" Peter apologized again. "I really can't say that enough. I really had no idea."

"Pete, how much money did you borrow exactly?" River asked.

"A few grand. It's no big deal; I told him I would pay him back."

"Well, it _is _a big deal," Jet argued. "Because it looks like they want you to pay that money back now."

"And they're coming after you to get it," Colt added.

"Yeah, you can bet they'll be back at the restaurant tomorrow," Rocky pointed out.

Peter put his head in his hands again and gaped at the floor. "I know. _Shit_, what am I gonna do?"

"No, Pete. What are _we_ gonna do?" Jet corrected.

Peter looked up. "No," he said, shaking his head dramatically. "_No_ Jet. I can't ask you, I can't ask _any_ of you, to get me out of this. This is _my_ mess."

"…Which we're already a part of. _All _of us," Jet declared. Everyone else nodded in agreement.

Colt shrugged. "And I know we just met you today, but my brothers and I kinda believe that trouble just tends to…"

"Follow us." Tum Tum finished. "It's just fate."

Colt nodded. "Yeah."

"Jet's right, Pete." Rocky said. "Let us help you."

Jet grinned at the three brothers in thanks. "See? We'll help you in any way we can," he assured Peter. "Because you're as good as dead without this money."

"You don't have to do this," Peter said quietly.

River let out a sigh and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. She looked at him and smiled for the first time, a genuine smile. "Look Pete, I getit. You wanted to help your family. I _get_ it. Now, this is us… helping out a friend."

Peter smiled in return, his eyes moistening in grateful tears. "Thanks."

* * *

**[A/N] Poor Peter. You almost have to feel sorry for him. His character is very relatable to me.**

**Anyway, turn of events in the NEXT chapter. Stay tuned. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**[A/N] Another chapter! The holidays are just around the corner. So here's my gift to you: an update! Hehe jk. ;) I know it's not much. It's actually one of my shortest updates, but I hope you enjoy anyway. :)**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I still own nothing.**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

It was mid-afternoon and the Sandwich Shack parking lot was full of dirty cars lined up waiting for a good cleaning. After much deliberation the previous day, everyone had decided to raise money by sponsoring a carwash.

The five friends along with Peter's younger sisters had spent the morning advertising for the event by posting flyers and distributing them to random people as well as recruiting friends and loyal customers to the business to help them with the effort. So far, it seemed to be having a good turnout. Everything was _perfect_.

Well, almost perfect…

"Where the hell is River?" Jet asked impatiently, squinting abroad with his hand on his forehead. The boys had been waiting for her to arrive since they had last spoken to her, which was at least an hour ago. She had mentioned that she was bringing a few of her girlfriends to join her. Jet looked to the others who merely shrugged. "_Seriously_, how long does it take for a bunch of girls to get ready?"

"Women," quipped Colt, shaking his head.

At that moment, River's voice was heard from the back seat of a convertible. "Hey guys!"

The guys were speechless as River and five of her girlfriends pulled up in a royal blue car. A few inappropriate wolf whistles were heard in the background.

River jumped out of the convertible and smirked amusingly at Colt, whose jaw had dropped. "Hey," she greeted, lifting his chin to close his mouth.

Colt gave her a lopsided grin in response.

"You didn't tell me River had friends like these," Rocky whispered to Jet. He was smiling shyly at the girls.

Jet smirked. "Well, take your pick, Rock-star. I believe they are all very single," he told him, to which Rocky laughed.

"Sorry I'm late," River said. "But I had a good excuse!" Several murmurs of 'that's okay' and 'you're forgiven' reached her ears. River laughed inwardly and rolled her eyes before turning to her friends and introducing them. "Ladies, these handsome fellas are Rocky, Colt, and Tum Tum. You already know my brother, Jet. And guys, these are my friends," she said as everyone greeted each other and shook hands.

Jody, one of River's good friends, had been staring at Colt with a critical eye before she smiled and nodded in approval. "Nice find, Riv. He _is_ cute," she whispered behind one hand.

"Yeah." River grinned. "I know."

The weather had been kind that afternoon, and it appeared that the carwash effort would not end in vain. Peter was not present for obvious reasons, but was kept updated on the progress via cell phone by his sisters, Jen and Sarah. By this time, both of them knew what Peter had sacrificed, and were equally determined to make things right. The restaurant itself was closed to avoid a repeat of yesterday's events, and rightfully so, since there were two familiar faces watching from afar in their black sedan.

The man sitting in the passenger seat smacked his teeth. "I think we need a car wash, don't you?" he said as he watched the bustle of the car wash.

"_No_," the other man snapped. "I do _not_ think we need a car wash. What you're _supposed_ to be doing is looking for someone."

"Well, I don't see him," the passenger said, his eyes peering over his sunglasses. "I don't think he's here."

The driver tightened his grip on the steering wheel in frustration. "Damn it, I think you're right."

"So what do we do now?"

"Something's gotta give. He can't hide forever."

Meanwhile, Tum Tum was pacing up and down the sidewalk and holding up a sign to advertise to passing cars. While doing so, he noticed a black sedan parked on the other side of the street. Tum Tum did a double take, and realization soon dawned upon him.

Tum Tum walked over to the other four, who were all working together on a white SUV. "Hey guys!" he yelled as he approached.

Unfortunately, this wasn't enough to interrupt their less-than-productive activities. Goofing around, splashing water and soap everywhere and spraying each other with the hose seemed to take precedent over actually washing the car itself.

Tum Tum cleared his throat, but still received no response. He frowned. "GUYS!"

Holding the hose, Colt turned, catching Tum Tum in the line of fire. "Oh, sorry, Tum…" Colt shrugged apologetically, but failed miserably at hiding his smirk. The others balled over in laughter.

Drenched from head to toe, Tum Tum spewed out a good amount of water. "Um, guys!" he croaked. "Hate to spoil the fun, but those men are back. Black car, three o'clock."

The others followed his gaze, and sure enough, noticed the same black sedan that they had pursued just twenty four hours ago. The mood instantly darkened.

"Great!" Colt exclaimed, throwing his hands up in annoyance. "Just what we need."

As they looked on, they saw one of River's friends, who had taken over Tum Tum's job, walking towards the car. She was completely oblivious to who these men were and was innocently promoting the carwash to them.

River instinctively started towards her, but Rocky grabbed her shoulder to stop her. He soon met River's glare, but he was resolute. "No, River, you can't. They might recognize you."

River's face softened and nodded. She knew Rocky was right, but couldn't help feeling a pang of worry.

Her brother, Jet, read her like a book. "Don't worry; they won't hurt her in broad daylight."

"Hey gentlemen, do you need a carwash?" River's friend, Tess, asked the men through the open car window.

"No, no. Thank you, though," the man in the passenger seat replied, forcing a smile in the process.

"By the way, do you know who owns this restaurant? It's really nice," the other man asked innocently as if without an ulterior motive.

"Oh, this place? The Shack?" The two men nodded in response. "Peter and his sisters, Jen and Sarah. Well, Peter isn't here, but those are his sisters over there," she told them, pointing to two girls sitting at a table counting money.

"Oh _really?_" the man in the driver seat said. He grinned darkly; he wasn't wasting his time here after all.

…

River followed her friend with narrowed eyes as she sauntered back towards the carwash. As soon as she was close enough, River dropped what she was doing, grabbed her arm, and stopped her in mid-step. "Hey Tess, who were those guys you were talking to?" she asked seriously.

"Just potential customers, Riv. I asked them, but they didn't want a carwash." Tess shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh well, their loss. But I did tell them to come back when the restaurant is open to try the sandwiches!"

"I see," River replied. She was still suspicious, but per her friend's report, the conversation seemed harmless. She let her worries slide for now and released her friend. She managed a small smile. "Well, okay. Cool. Keep on doing what you're doing then."

As her friend walked away, she looked over at the four guys, a nervous look imprinted upon her face as she bit her bottom lip; those men were up to something and they all knew it.

…

"Eight hundred and seventy two dollars and fifty-six cents," Jen counted, and then announced disbelievingly, "_That's it?_" She looked at the others who could only shrug back at her.

A few hours later, the carwash had ended and Rocky, Jet, and Tum Tum were in the back of the Sandwich Shack with Jen and Sarah, counting the profit from the carwash, which had fallen short of expectations. Colt and River, on the other hand, had already gone home since they had plans later that evening. There was a glum silence for a few moments as the five of them gazed at the money laid out on the table.

Jen sighed and started to silently recount in her head, but groaned when she finished, having only confirmed her initial sum. Jen, who was a no-nonsense type of girl, was about a year older than Rocky and was very adamant on helping her older brother, especially after learning that part of the reason why he was in trouble in the first place was due to her dreams of going to college and thus, half-blamed herself.

Tum Tum shook his head regretfully. "Maybe we should've charged more?" he asked no one in particular.

"We're still a few hundred short. Now what do we do?" Sarah cried disappointed.

Jet walked over to Jen and put his hands on her shoulders. "Look, it's not over. We'll figure something else out. We'll get through this," he reassured. "We just gotta keep doing what we're doing. Hide Peter and keep you safe."

Jen drew out another mournful sigh. "Yeah, you're right," she said as she organized the money and placed it all in the safe box.

Rocky exhaled. "Tomorrow is another day. But for now, we need to get outta here as soon as possible."

Rocky was trying to convey a sense of urgency without sounding panicked. For reasons unknown to them, the black sedan had been coming to and from the Sandwich Shack all day, and seemed to be stalking their every move. Yesterday, those two men had given up when they didn't find Peter. Somehow, today was different, and Rocky suspected the worse.

While the black sedan was gone, they had managed to sneak inside the restaurant, but knew that they couldn't stay long. Its return would mean trouble, so as soon as it was deemed safe, they all quickly snuck out through the back door.

Jen waved goodbye and smiled gratefully at the three boys. "Thanks again, guys," she said.

"No problem. Be safe tonight," Jet told her.

With that, they all went their separate ways—Rocky, Tum Tum, and Jet in one car, and Jen and Sarah in another. The boys drove off and the girls followed closely behind them, but it was Jen's car that caught the attention of the black sedan, which had returned just in time to see them leave the lot.

The two men eyed the girls with cruel intent. "That's them, huh?" the passenger assumed, catching a glimpse of the sisters as they drove passed them from the opposite side of the street.

"Yeah, that's them alright," the driver confirmed as the car made a U-turn to pursue the unsuspecting girls.

* * *

**[A/N] YIKES! Those guys are relentless! ;)**

**What's gonna happen? And where the hell is Colt & River?**

**All in the NEXT chapter! And HAPPY HOLIDAYS! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**[A/N] I know it's been awhile guys! I've been busy planning my wedding actually. YAY! I'm so very excited about it. :) But I swear I haven't forgotten about updating this story. Hope you guys didn't mind the wait, but if you did, I hope I can make it up to you with the chapter ahead. It's a fun, light chapter to prepare for what's ahead. Enjoy loves! :)**

**DISCLAIMER: Nope. I WISH!**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Rocky attempted to punch Jet, which proved unsuccessful as Jet stopped it then immediately retaliated. Rocky did a backward somersault to avoid Jet's attack. As soon as Rocky landed, Jet attempted to kick him, but Rocky blocked it and grabbed Jet's leg effectively immobilizing him, but only for a second.

Rocky shook his head. "You dare try that move on me?"

Jet smirked. "Yeah, I _dare_…"

He flipped backwards to free his leg and then proceeded to throw a series of punches and kicks at Rocky, which he evaded, ducking or blocking each of them. Rocky then threw his own set of offensive moves, but Jet was much too fast.

It was early evening. Rocky and Jet were sparring each other after a playful argument had arisen on whose ninja technique was superior. Despite the long day at the carwash, exhaustion didn't seem to affect the boys' battle morale. As far as they were concerned, it was nothing that a good sparring match couldn't fix. Thus, the boys ended up outside in the Russo's spacious backyard, the ideal place for a fight, with Tum Tum watching Rocky and Jet from the sidelines, his head spinning wildly back and forth as he tried to keep up with the match.

The boys were on equal ground; Rocky was strong, but Jet was fast, much like Colt. The difference, however, was that Jet's speed came in his surges of attacks, while Colt was consistently fast. Either way, Rocky's strength embedded in his well-calculated techniques was a suitable match, and neither of them seemed frustrated that they were unable to surpass the other. In fact, they were having a lot of fun and considered this friendly battle great practice.

Rocky and Jet simultaneously threw an attack at one another, which caused both of them to toss themselves backwards to avoid it. They paused, facing each other on opposite ends of the backyard, in their fighting stances and out of breath.

"Man, Colt is missing out," Rocky told Jet. "He's much faster than I am." This was his way of complimenting a formidable ninja.

"Well, right now, I think he'd rather date my sister," Jet joked. "But if he hurts her, I _will_ have a reason to fight him."

On that note, the faint sound of the doorbell ringing was heard from inside the house. The three boys turned towards the noise, and Rocky and Jet relaxed their stances. The fight was now over. Since Rocky and Tum Tum were visiting (and River was upstairs in her room), it could only be one person waiting at the door.

The three boys went inside, Jet running after the doorbell while Rocky and Tum Tum made their way into the other room.

The doorbell rang again. "I'm coming, jeez," Jet muttered. As expected, he opened the door and saw Colt standing beyond it.

"Hey," Colt said, greeting his friend with a low-five.

"What's up, man?"

Colt cocked an eyebrow as he noticed the beads of sweat that flowed freely down the side of Jet's face. "What the hell happened to you?"

Jet smirked. "Sparring Rocky."

"Oh, I see…"

"What's that? Is that _jealousy_ I hear?" Jet teased, his hand cupping his ear for effect.

Colt grinned. "Fine Airplane, I still owe you one."

"Okay, Horsey, you're on," Jet said amused. With that, the boys pounded their fists together as if to convey that the promise had been made, the gesture being the guy's equivalent to the 'pinky swear.'

"By the way, is she ready?"

Jet scoffed. "Pfft _no_, of course not. But I'll go get her anyway. Rocky and Tum are in the living room."

"Cool." Colt nodded, going into the living room as Jet rushed up the stairs, taking the steps in two's.

Tum Tum, who had a bag of candy in his hands, saw his brother first. "Ooo, Colt's got a date!" he teased. "Are you gonna kiss her?"

"Shut up," Colt shot.

Rocky grinned. "You didn't answer the question, Colt."

"Well, yeah…"

"Alright Colt!" Rocky and Tum Tum bellowed, giving each other a high-five.

Colt smirked. "But it won't be the first time…."

Surprise crossed his brothers' faces. "_What?_" they cried in unison as Colt merely posed a goofy grin.

From behind, a pair of hands covered Colt's eyes. "Guess _who?_" a female voice cooed, followed by a very telling giggle.

"Hmm… I don't know…" Colt replied in mock ignorance.

"It's me, Jet. Who'd you think it was?" the undoubtedly male voice of Jet announced.

Colt's grin vanished, and he turned around abruptly only to face River, who succumbed to a fit of giggles.

Jet had been standing next to him, but had since made his way towards the living room with one hand on his stomach and the other on the couch armrest. He was hardly able to contain himself. Witnessing the whole thing, Rocky and Tum Tum roared with laughter.

Colt frowned. This wasn't exactly the way he had pictured the beginning of his date.

River caught it and apologized instantly. "I'm sorry, Colt. It seemed like a good idea at the time." She smiled.

To her relief, he smiled back. The sight of her was enough to make him forgive and forget. He shrugged. "Well, as long as you make it up to me."

"And how do I do that?" she mused.

"I have something in mind." His grin was back, this time adorably lopsided, and her knees buckled from under her. Colt was incredibly good-looking. "So you ready to go?" he asked, offering his hand.

River nodded as she took it. "I am."

Colt waved to the others as she led the two of them out of the door. "See ya guys later."

"Have fun kids!" Jet teased, yelling after them.

"Don't be out too late!" Rocky added as the three boys continued to laugh hysterically.

…

Colt and River headed to a local restaurant, not exactly a fancy one, but perfect for a casual first date. After their atypical meeting and even more unusual first kiss, the two of them needed a dose of normality. Colt speculated that this date would be just the ticket, and it would also get their minds off of the troubling events of the past twenty-four hours. Furthermore, it was quite refreshing to be able to spend some quality alone time without their brothers hovering around.

River leaned on his shoulder and smiled up at him after finishing dinner. "So tell me, Colt…" she began, poking him in the chest. "You said I needed to make it up to you. What did you have in mind exactly?" Her green eyes sparkled curiously.

Colt smirked, but did not answer immediately. Instead, he continued smiling at the girl opposite him. River was definitely different. Not only was he attracted to her, River had just as much spunk as he did, her fiery personality complimenting his rough, bad boy persona. She always challenged him, but was also able to smooth his edge at the same time, which was far from easy.

"I'd rather show you," Colt whispered.

River beamed just as he leaned over to kiss her. She wholly allowed it as Colt's lips claimed hers. It was gentle at first, but Colt deepened the kiss, much to her delight, as both of them savored the contact. It was nothing short of amazing.

"Okay," River breathed when their lips parted. "Was that—?" But the question was interrupted by an eager Colt whose lips craved for more. After a few more moments of shared passion, River's cell phone rang. She smiled against his lips and whispered, "I should get that."

"It can wait," Colt insisted, intensifying his kiss, to which River surrendered willingly and allowed the ring tone to play.

…

Jen dialed her friend's phone number in frenzy. "C'mon, come on River. Answer your phone!" she urged with panic in her eyes.

Staying true to their mission, the same two men who had been threatening Peter and his family for the past few days had followed the sisters and broke into their house. They had grown tired of waiting for Peter to repay his debts on top of their boss putting additional pressure on them. Thus, after discovering the sisters' identity at the carwash, they decided to use them as leverage if they could not get to him.

Peter was not home when they arrived, and the two men had initially interrogated Jen and Sarah on his whereabouts, but the girls bravely refused to turn their brother in. In the midst of their frustration, the two men kidnapped the little sister, Sarah, and promised her safety as soon as Peter responded with the money he owed.

Completely helpless, Jen was left stranded at the house, so she could deliver the message to her brother. Unaware of Sarah's whereabouts and unable to get a hold of Peter, she initially contacted the police who took her report and promised their imminent arrival. Still, Jen thought an investigation would take hours, time she didn't have, so she called the next person who came to mind.

After several rings, Jen got River's voicemail. Flustered, she hung up and dialed again. "Please, River. Please answer!" she cried.

…

When they finally parted, Colt was grinning from ear to ear as River rested her head on his shoulder. River's cell phone rang again. "I really should get that," she told him as she reached into her purse. With his arm around her, Colt said nothing and merely nodded in permission.

"It's Jen. It looks like she's been trying to call." River bit her lip nervously and looked up at her date. "You don't think—?"

Colt's face stiffened. "Only one way to find out…"

River picked up her phone tentatively. "Hello?" she answered. Immediately, the expression on her face transformed to one of shock and concern. She sat up straighter, leaving the comfort of Colt's shoulder. Colt did the same, giving the phone call his undivided attention. Jen had been crying, which confirmed their worst suspicions. "Jen, what's wrong? Tell me what happened."

River listened intently as Jen managed to explain the situation in between forced breaths and sniffles. River's face transformed once again, this time, to a look of anger and disgust. "We'll be right there. It'll be okay, Jen. Just try to relax."

Realizing that the situation had turned for the worse, Colt turned to River as soon as she hung up. "What's wrong?" he asked.

River couldn't look even at him. Instead, she focused on a bread crumb on the table until her eyes glistened and she could no longer see it.

"It's…" She shook her head in disbelief. "It's… Sarah."

"Riv—"

"They took her, Colt." River swallowed and finally looked at him. "Those guys… _took_ Sarah."

"I can't believe this," Colt said. Not only did those guys ruin his date, they kidnapped an innocent girl. He stood up, gave River an apologetic look, and then held out his hand for her to take.

River nodded, and when she took his hand, Colt squeezed it, both in mutual understanding that the date must end.

"Let's go," Colt sighed, leading both of them towards the exit.

* * *

**[A/N] Please REVIEW! And the rescue is on! 'Til next time. :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**[A/N] Hello again folks. Another chapter posted! Excited? I hope so. Hehe. :)**

**I kinda wanna move right along because alas, I have another story I want to post and would like to finish this before I do so. Maybe. I'm not sure yet, but I'd like to. If I feel like people are interested… Well, we'll just see.**

**DISCLAIMER: LOVE it. Don't own it.**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

The phone was ringing. And it kept on ringing.

In ignorant bliss, Rocky, Tum Tum, and Jet were sitting around the Russo living room in the middle of a heated video game battle and thus, were completely disregarding the incoming call.

"Jet! That's cheating!" Tum Tum cried.

"I'm not cheating. You're just losing," Jet said, waving him off.

The phone continued to demand their attention, and it wasn't until the third round of ringing that Jet couldn't ignore it any longer. Even so, he was reluctant to answer it himself. "Rocky, can you answer the phone?" he requested graciously though he did not look away from the television.

"What? No way! It's your house," Rocky retorted, also unable to take his eyes off of the action on the screen.

"Tum, you do it," Jet told him.

Tum Tum pouted. "I don't want to."

"C'mon, please?"

"Fine," Tum Tum submitted; he had already lost the game anyway. The phone rang a few more times, and Tum Tum had no choice but to surrender his spot of comfort and answer the phone.

"Hello? Russo residence," Tum Tum answered with a hint of annoyance. It soon dissipated, however, when he heard the urgency in River's voice. She didn't even allow him room to speak as she explained the situation to him. "_What?_ No way!" he exclaimed once she finished.

"Yes _way_, Tum. We're on our way back right now."

"Okay, see ya in a bit."

Tum Tum hung up on the phone in disbelief. He turned to Rocky and Jet and gave them a shocked expression, to which they stared back in curiosity. He sighed. "Looks like it's gonna be a long night."

…

The front of Peter's house was already full of police cars when the five friends arrived, the flashing lights illuminating the street and a crowd of curious and concerned neighbors surrounding the house. Somehow, Rocky managed to drive through the commotion as he bypassed several police cars. He stopped his car and hovered in front of the driveway as soon as he saw Jen, who was sobbing uncontrollably and speaking to one of the police officers.

Despite the police and the crowd, River did not hesitate to get out of the car and run towards her friend to give her a hug. "Jen, are you okay?"

"I-I'm alright," Jen stammered, and then turned to the officer. "Would you excuse us for a sec?"

He nodded and turned to leave while River took Jen aside.

"We'll get her back," River assured her as soon as the officer was out of earshot.

"Y-you can't. It's too dangerous. Those guys…" Jen lowered her voice. "I overheard the cops saying that they might be connected to some big crime lord who they've been targeting for months. This is bigger than just the money and kidnapping."

River bit her lip and contemplated her words. The last time they had decided to pursue trouble, they had almost lost Jet. Furthermore, it wasn't daylight anymore, which would render it an even more dangerous mission. Nevertheless, the five of them were ninjas, masters at the art of stealth, and they thrived in the dark. They could do what the cops couldn't: get in and get out without being noticed.

River let out a sigh, and then shook her head to rid her of her reservations; this was, after all, _their_ fight. "No, Jen. We made Peter a promise, and we intend to keep it. We have to do _something_."

Jen nodded and reached into the large purse she was carrying. "Riv, I'm scared."

"Me too."

"I don't know what they'll do to Sarah if Peter doesn't give 'em the money."

"So we'll get them the money. Somehow. We're almost there. We just have to—"

"Take this," Jen interrupted, taking River's hand and placing a small pouch upon it.

River gave her a questioning look, but Jen did not explain any further. When she peeked inside the pouch, her eyes widened. There, sitting inside, was a hefty wad of cash. She looked to her friend in disbelief. "Jen, where did you get this?"

"It's more than enough. I found the money that Peter was saving up. And the money we made at the carwash and some I saved for college; it's whatever he owed plus any interest they may want. Those two men said Sarah will be safe as long as they get the money."

"Jen, I-I couldn't…" River started to say, holding the pouch at arm's length so she would take it back.

Jen shook her head. "No, please. Take it and give it to them." She took River's hand, cupped it within hers, and gently pushed it away.

River took a deep breath. There was no going back now. "We'll get Sarah out safely," she promised.

…

Meanwhile, a red truck approached the house slowly, and Peter looked on with confusion at first, but that quickly changed to horror, as he realized that the sea of red and blue lights were surrounding _his_ house. He started to tremble as a plethora of questions ran through his head and gut-wrenching worries made his stomach queasy. From the distance, he caught sight of one of his sisters speaking to River. Without thinking, Peter parked haphazardly on the street, his tires screeching loudly, and dashed out of his truck towards them.

Christopher Russo was receiving an update from a fellow officer only to have to stop midway through it when he noticed Peter running toward the house like a mad man. Mr. Russo ran to him just as quickly, outstretching his arm to try and stop him. Unfortunately, Peter didn't seem like he was keen on stopping, so when he neared, Mr. Russo forcibly used his body to block his way instead.

"Whoa! Whoa, son. What's your hurry?" Mr. Russo asked, now holding him warningly in case he tried to escape.

"Mr. Russo!" Peter cried. "It's _me_, Peter. Please! My sisters! Please, Mr. Russo. This is _my_ house. My sisters. I have to make sure they're okay!"

"Peter," Mr. Russo said. "I'm sorry, son. I hardly recognized you."

"_Please_, Mr. Russo. My _sisters_…"

"I'm sorry, Peter. But your sister is it? The young one, I think Sarah is her name? Well, there was a kidnapping. Right now, she's missing. I'm sorry to have to break the news to you like this."

"No, _no. _They wouldn't. They couldn't," Peter gasped under his breath, shaking his head and talking mostly to himself.

"_Who_ wouldn't, son?" Mr. Russo spoke calmly, his hands on the distraught boy's shoulders for support.

Peter, however, didn't seem to hear him as he continued to shake his head, unable to look the officer in the eye. "_No_. Sarah, she's only thirteen! I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. _Please_. Not her. It should have been _me_." His voice had started to crack, and pretty soon, he was trembling and shedding tears.

"Peter! Peter, _look at me_."

He looked at the officer, but just barely.

"You must give us something, _anything_. Tell us what you know, so we could get your sister back."

"I'm sorry, sir. I just…" He trailed off, and took a deep breath to regain what little composure he had left. "Please, sir. Can I talk to my other sister first? I'll tell you all I know. I just… I just want to see Jen."

"I… yes, of course," Mr. Russo consented, stepping aside.

"Thank you, sir," he said, bowing respectfully and walking away. "She's actually just over there talking to River."

"That's fine," Mr. Russo replied before allowing the statement to completely sink in. There was a momentary pause before he realized what Peter had just said and shock crossed his face. "Wait a minute! What do you mean she's with River?"

…

"Peter!" Jen cried, wrapping her arms around her brother as soon as she saw him.

"We'll get her back, Pete." River told him. "I _promise_ you, we'll get her back."

Peter nodded to her. "I know. But I don't think your dad would be keen on the idea."

"M-my dad?"

"What are you doing here?" Mr. Russo yelled with a glare.

_Shit. _

River scolded herself inwardly; she should've known that her father would be here. She hid the small pouch behind her as he approached. "Dad! I… well, Jen called me and she told me what happened, so um… I came by to comfort her. She looked like she needed a friend."

"You have a car. Why did the boys come with you?" he inquired with his fatherly raised eyebrow of doubt.

"Uh… the boys?"

He nodded towards the guys sitting in Rocky's car who he must've realized were also there as soon as he discovered River's presence. Furthermore, they were already being interrogated by none other than his fellow father, Sam Douglas.

Mr. Douglas must have told them to get out of the car because the guys soon joined River at her side. They were about to be confronted by the two stern faces that were their FBI fathers, and it wasn't going to be pleasant.

Mr. Douglas approached and stood next to his colleague. "What are you up to?" he asked; he knew all too well that his boys were not the passive type.

The five friends looked at each other uneasily; some of them gulping loudly, but not one said a word.

When silence ensued, Mr. Douglas raised his voice to elicit a response and to reinforce his authority. "Well? Let's hear it."

"Dad, I'm sorry," Rocky began. "It's just that… we know what happened. We know who took Sarah and where."

"We think they took her to this warehouse," Colt continued.

Mr. Russo raised his eyebrow, but instead of disappointed, he now looked surprised. "Warehouse? The empty one on Voss? We already checked it once; it's clean."

"Yeah, that's the one, Dad," Jet replied nervously. "And it's definitely not empty _or_ clean."

"You've been there before?" their fathers questioned in unison. They were learning more and more by the minute.

"Yeah, once. Please don't be mad," River pleaded.

To their surprise, neither of their fathers looked upset anymore, but rather, seemed to crave more information in which the five of them were satisfying. They gave each other a meaningful look before continuing their interrogation.

"Did you happen to see this guy?" Mr. Douglas asked, showing them a photograph of a familiar face; the face of a sinister man with dark hair and a well-trimmed mustache.

"Yeah, he was there," Colt said as he glanced at the picture of the man he easily recognized. "He was telling everyone what to do."

"So you know where Sarah might be? And you were gonna go after her, weren't you?" Mr. Douglas asked rhetorically.

The five of them nodded, unable to escape telling the truth.

Quickly realizing where this was going, Mr. Russo took his partner and fellow father aside and spoke to him in an undertone. "Douglas, you aren't possibly thinking what I think you're thinking?"

Sam Douglas ran a hand through his white hair. He couldn't believe what he was about to say either. "Yeah I know, it sounds crazy. But these kids have gotten closer in a short few days than we have in months. They saw Moretti, and they know he's involved. We have an in."

"It sounds crazy because it _is _crazy!"

"Look Russo, they're talented, and we both know it. I hate to admit it, but we _need_ the help of our ninjas."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Sam."

Mr. Douglas sighed and looked over at the children. "Me too."

* * *

**[A/N] I know this chapter was a bit OC-centric, which I personally dislike. Just a preference. I try to keep it in the main characters POVs as a general rule for myself (not necessarily for everyone else) as much as possible. But in this chapter, it was kinda necessary to do it this way. It didn't seem like any of the guys would be the ones comforting her after all. So the girl had to do it. No matter... just the way I see it I guess. :)**

**Anyway, last couple of ACTION-PACKED chapters next. The end is near. How bittersweet.**

**Tata for now! Oh, and REVIEW! :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**[A/N] Yay for LONG chapters!**

**These next two will be because alas! We're getting to the end. :) I had fun sharing this story with you all.**

**Just an aside, I love watching 'on demand' on my cable TV, and I was giddy with excitement when I saw that they are currently showing 3 Ninjas as one of the featured movies on the Disney Family Movie channel. It is so silly to watch now, but it still makes me smile. The original was my absolute favorite. No question.**

**DISCLAIMER: Just for fun.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

"What were you two thinking?" Vincent Moretti yelled as he interrogated his two men. He ran a hand through his dark hair and paced furiously back and forth inside one of the offices in his lavish home.

"Y-you told us to 'do whatever it takes,'" one of the men stammered fearfully.

"But kidnapping?" Moretti went on. "I wanted you to scare him into paying back the money, not kidnap his sister! I may do a lot of things, but I _don't_ kidnap!"

"What do you want us to do with the girl?" the other man asked.

Moretti sighed knowing that there was nothing he could do, at least for now. He stopped pacing and stood over them as he addressed his two men. "Keep her out of sight," he instructed calmly. "She knows your faces. If anyone finds her, and they link you to me, you're both dead. You got that?"

Without another word, the two men nodded, immensely relieved. This could've been so much worse.

"We can't have anything disrupting the deal tonight."

…

"Guys, this way," Rocky said, gesturing to the others.

Sneaking around the garage lot in the dead of night proved to be an unexpectedly easy feat despite the additional security measures that Moretti had set up. It was teeming with guards, but the five friends weren't given much of a challenge as they easily overcame their unwary opponents.

They took cover as they approached the warehouse and noticed that most of the activity seemed to dwell inside of it. Something else was going on tonight, and the issue of Peter's money was probably just a minor inconvenience to a man like Moretti. Nevertheless, his two men still had the nerve to render Sarah missing, and the ninjas were resolute on finding her. They had made a promise to Peter and Jen.

The ninjas looked on, pondering their next move. This time, they had a clear pathway to the warehouse entrance since the large semi-trucks that stood in front yesterday were long gone. However, the security was, without a doubt, much tighter there.

"How are we gonna get in this time?" Tum Tum asked.

"And no more wooden boxes," Colt and Jet protested.

"Don't worry, I got another plan," Rocky said. "We find Sarah, get in and get out. Got it?"

"That's it? That's your plan?" River asked astounded.

"I dunno." Rocky shrugged. "Sometimes, the best plan is no plan. Ya know… a little spontaneity?"

Colt cocked an eyebrow at his brother. "Who are you and what have you done with Rocky?"

Suddenly, the bright lights of a car illuminated their hiding spot, signaling its approach and causing the five of them to duck lower. It was the black Mercedes Benz driving into the warehouse.

"That's him," Jet stated, his eyes narrowing in resentment.

"I think that's our cue," Rocky told them. "Let's go."

…

The five ninjas, who had followed closely behind Moretti's car, hid behind a row of trusty wooden boxes. Five sets of eyes peered above them, and then exchanged glances with each other. Inside the warehouse, the crowd had diversified to include not only Moretti's men, but other not-so-friendly faces.

When the black Mercedes Benz came to a complete stop, the proud form of Moretti stepped out, the same sinister man with dark hair and a well-trimmed mustache on the photograph, but this time, wearing a fresh gray suit. Moretti straightened up his jacket as he approached the others. "So let's get this started, shall we?" he said, rubbing his hands together as a hungry grin curled from the corner of his mouth.

The meeting commenced as the ninjas spied from the sidelines, on the lookout for any suspicious activity. One woman, however, caught their attention instantly. Or rather, they had caught hers. Instead of listening to Moretti, she appeared to be staring in their direction. Colt looked up, and she caught his eyes. A knowing smile crept on her lips.

"Did she see us?" he asked, ducking lower behind his box.

"No, no, I don't think so. We're well-hidden," Rocky assured him, though he wasn't completely convinced himself.

Jet frowned. "Sarah could be anywhere by now."

"We're gonna have to split up," Rocky declared, devising a plan as he thought out loud. "We can cover more ground and—"

"Hey look," Tum Tum suddenly pointed out.

The others followed his gaze, and sure enough, standing in the back were Sarah's kidnappers. It was obvious that they were distracted and had something else on their minds. They watched as one of them whispered to the other behind his hand. The other one nodded, grinned darkly, and then snuck out to leave.

"Follow him right?" Tum Tum asked.

Rocky sighed and nodded.

"I'm going with him," River said, more as a statement than a request, and before anyone could protest, turned to follow Tum Tum who was already studying his surroundings for the safest way out. Before she could leave, however, Colt grabbed her arm. She faced him, her eyes swimming with determination.

"Be careful, okay?" he told her.

River smiled at him and nodded. "I will," she promised, and left without another word.

The three boys watched them depart, and once River and Tum Tum disappeared, returned their attention to Moretti.

"And now we wait," Rocky said.

…

River and Tum Tum moved silently through the grounds, trailing the one man that they believed would lead them to their friend, Sarah. The man was marching just ahead of them when he turned the corner to enter a hallway of another row of garages and was soon out of sight. River and Tum Tum went in pursuit, stopping just beyond the corner.

Tum Tum peered his head around it to cast a quick glance towards their target, but to his surprise, he was nowhere to be found. Tum Tum frowned. "Where the hell did he go?"

_Click_.

Their eyes widened as the unmistakable sound of a gun cocked from behind them, and they raised their hands up in surrender.

"You're not the only ones who could do disappearing acts," the man announced, his tone full of disdain.

River and Tum Tum slowly turned to face him.

Another man approached, laughing menacingly and pointed his own gun at them. River, having fought him the day before, noted the huge bump on his head, and she suppressed a satisfied smirk. Neither of the men seemed to notice as they were too busy basking in their glory.

"Surely, you didn't think we would make the same mistake twice?" the man with the bumpy head said. "Letting you kids come through here, and then escape?"

"Yeah, and you had seen everything, too. We didn't know if you would be back, but we got lucky tonight, didn't we?"

"And the other three brats? Oh yeah, we're all fully aware that you're here. Boss made us work all last night installing security cameras because of you."

River and Tum Tum shared a nervous look.

"Oh? Didn't see that one coming did you?"

With that, the two men doubled up in nauseating laughter at their seeming genius. This time, River couldn't help but snort at their stupidity. The bumpy-headed man heard her and his face stiffened. He glared at the two hostages yet there was no sign of fear in neither River nor Tum Tum, and that deeply annoyed him.

"Let's go," the man ordered, waving his gun. River and Tum Tum, however, remained immobile. "I said move!" he commanded, cocking his gun again.

The other man resorted to force by grabbing a hold of Tum Tum's shirt and yanking him along. River glared at them, but she had no choice but to follow obediently.

"Oh c'mon baby, don't look so mad and waste that pretty face. I promise you we'll have a lot of fun later," the man said as they led River and Tum Tum to their destination. The two men dragged them to a storage garage and hurled them inside.

"You two stay here. You got that?"

"We'll be back. Don't miss us too much."

The men laughed maliciously as they closed the door behind them, leaving River and Tum Tum standing in darkness.

"Great! _Now_, what are we supposed to do?" said the voice of Tum Tum. Although, River couldn't see him, she speculated that he had thrown up his hands in defeat since she felt a subtle displacement of air.

River began to move in the shadows, closing her eyes in concentration. A ninja was supposed to be able to _feel_ her surroundings. "Aha, found it," she said aloud as she clicked the lights on and illuminated the empty storage garage.

River looked at Tum Tum, who shrugged halfheartedly. Both of them knew that it would take a miracle to get out of this one. She gave him a helpless look. "Tum, we'll get out—" she began, but was interrupted by stifled mumbling coming from behind her.

River turned and her eyes widened. There, sitting on the floor, was their missing friend. "_Sarah!_ You're here!" she exclaimed, approaching her. "Are you okay?"

Sarah mumbled excitedly, urging them to untie her hands and remove the tape from her mouth. Tum Tum, who had also moved towards Sarah, obliged and slowly peeled the tape off while River worked on freeing her hands.

"Ow, careful!" Sarah cried.

"Sorry, I'm not very good at that," Tum Tum apologized, shaking his head at the duck tape.

"It's okay," Sarah said, smiling slightly. As soon as her hands were free, she gave River and Tum Tum a grateful hug. "I'm just so glad you found me!"

"Yeah, but now we're stuck here, too," Tum Tum sighed.

River looked around, desperately searching for a way out. "We _have_ to get out of here and warn the guys."

…

"What is this? A criminal convention?" Jet whispered sarcastically, rolling his eyes at the scene in front of him.

Rocky snickered. "Nah, I think it's a crook… congregation."

"Oh I know! It's a gangster gathering," Colt added. At that, the three boys stifled a fit of laughter.

Unaware of River and Tum Tum's misfortune, Rocky, Colt, and Jet had remained inside the warehouse, observing Moretti's meeting taking place. It had already been at least half an hour and the three of them were getting impatient.

Moretti's voice was mind-numbing as he droned on about his dedication and hard work to obtain the finest supplies and lectured endlessly about the importance of quality versus quantity. Furthermore, the subject of technologically-advanced weapons was lackluster at most especially to a trio of ninjas who had trained their entire lives in the art of self-defense without the use of firearms.

Nevertheless, the boys did not budge since they had depended on River and Tum Tum's return before planning their escape. Going out to look for them would risk separation, a mistake they did not want to relive.

After their brief period of amusement, Colt had taken the liberty to rest his head on a wooden box. He sighed in exasperation and then turned his attention back towards the meeting. Once again, the same woman looked right at him and nodded. This time, he had no doubt. "There! Do you see that? She's looking at us again!"

"Yeah, this time I saw it," Rocky said. "Damn, what's taking the other two so long?" He lifted his head slightly to scan the scenery hoping for their impending return, but it only led to disappointment. "I hope they're okay. We can't stay here any longer or else we'll be in—"

_Click_.

"Trouble?" the deep voice of a man finished for Rocky. "Yes, I would agree. You _are_ in trouble."

The three guys turned their heads slowly, and their eyes came upon a large burly man whose gun was pointed straight at them. Behind him stood several other men, all of whom they had fought the day before. Every nerve in their bodies' echoed fear, mixed with the clashed feelings of whether to surrender, fight, or run. They were outnumbered, and their foes had weapons. Hence, surrendering seemed like the smartest choice, and the boys grudgingly raised their hands.

Then, the sound of someone applauding was heard in the background. "Very, very good," the voice of Moretti said sarcastically.

Three men seized the boys and dragged each of them until they were confronted by the sinister face of Vincent Moretti. The boys struggled to loosen their grip, but the three men were too strong and handled them effortlessly. They were now alone with Moretti and his men, all of whom had evidence of battle scars from yesterday and clearly wanted vengeance. Everyone else had disappeared.

Moretti grinned. "So these are the kids who managed to infiltrate my whole operation, huh? I have heard so much about you. And let me tell you, I'm quite impressed." He cackled piercingly, which resonated throughout the warehouse.

"Go to hell!" Colt shouted.

"Oh, that one has cheek. I like him already," Moretti mocked.

"I'll show you cheek," Colt spat, thrashing about to free his hold, but to no avail.

"So you are friends with Peter, who owes me money, yes?" Moretti said, now directly addressing the three boys, his tone stern and unforgiving.

"We have the money, and we'll give it to you," Jet told him. "Just let his sister go."

"Ah, you have the money you say? Well, I will definitely take it."

"And you'll let Sarah go?" Jet asked.

"Yes, yes whatever. She will be set free," Moretti said, consenting to Jet's terms and waving his hand indifferently.

"And what about us?" Rocky spoke up.

"What about you, you ask? Well, with you, it is not that simple. You see, you have seen everything I do. You can turn me into the police. You recognize my face. You are witnesses. And that is a chance I cannot take."

"We won't! We just came here to get Sarah, that's all," Rocky declared. "And like you said, we're just kids. We have no evidence against you. It'll be your word against ours, right? And who's gonna believe a bunch of kids?"

"Our little friend here has got a point, no?" Moretti asked his men, looking around as if searching for an answer. Some of them snickered in response, but Moretti's face stiffened. He was no longer amused. "That may be so, but you have cost me quite a bit of time and money, and unfortunately, for you, I am not that forgiving." Moretti laughed again, that same piercing laugh.

The boys were in trouble before, but now they were in _big _trouble. Desperate, Rocky, Colt, and Jet once again struggled with all their might against their possessors, but unfortunately, the harder the boys resisted, the tighter their grip became.

It was then that Rocky inwardly called out to River and Tum Tum for help, hoping beyond hope that they would return. It seemed hopeless until, all of a sudden, all the lights of the warehouse shut off, leaving everyone standing in complete darkness. A silent skirmish ensued, and when the lights flickered back on, not only had Rocky, Colt, and Jet escaped, but all the men who were carrying guns had been disarmed.

"Ughhh! Find them!" Moretti yelled furiously, breaking his men's stunned silence.

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**[A/N] Almost there! The END is near!**

**Please R&R. Much love to you all. :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**[A/N] I haven't been on this website in awhile to post. For that, I apologize. I guess I'm just sad to see this end. Anyway, here is the last chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed sharing. Who knows. I might be back for more. :)**

**xoxo –nells**

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**Chapter 1****2**

The plan had worked like a charm.

River and Tum Tum had managed to not only rescue Rocky, Colt, and Jet, but also neutralize their enemies by taking away their guns. It was almost as if they had heard Rocky's pleas cast in the air.

Reunited, the five ninjas ran and weaved around wooden boxes making their way towards the far corner of the warehouse, where the main power switch was located and where Sarah was patiently awaiting their arrival.

"Great job, Sarah!" River praised when they had arrived. "The timing couldn't have been more perfect."

Sarah beamed. "No problem!"

"Thanks," Rocky said.

Jet hugged his sister. "I knew you could do it."

River smiled in thanks, and then turned to Rocky. "And hey, you saved my brother. So I guess now, we're even."

Rocky grinned in response.

"Boy, am I glad to see you," Colt said to River, taking both of her hands in his. He slowly leaned in for a kiss, but was interrupted by an annoyed and slightly sickened Tum Tum.

"Hey! What about me?" Tum Tum retorted. "Aren't you glad to see _your _little brother?"

Colt smirked at Tum Tum. "Yeah, yeah. You, too, squirt."

Rocky chuckled along with the rest, but knew that their celebration was premature. "It's not over guys. We still need to get out of here," he reminded them. The others nodded knowing that he was right.

Being in the far corner of the warehouse, they weren't likely to be found easily, but couldn't stick around in one spot for too long neither. Unfortunately, that was proven wrong much too quickly.

"Over here! _I found them!_"

Jet sighed. "Damn, here we go again."

Rocky faced the band of goons determinedly. "No matter what, stick together." he ordered. "And Tum, protect Sarah, got it?"

Tum Tum narrowed his eyes and nodded.

River felt Colt's hand squeeze hers. "I'm not leaving you this time." He smirked.

She smiled back. "As long as you can keep up," she teased.

Colt laughed. "Let's go kick some ass."

…

A large number of men had appeared in all directions and were ready for war, vengeful faces staring back of them, a few clenching their fists while others were grinning darkly. The five ninjas, however, were unmoved and were equally as ready, each of them taking on their fighting stance as they stared down the threatening glares with their own visage of conviction. The ninjas were not going to go down easily.

Sarah stood behind them, protected by the wall of her five ninja friends. "Stay behind me. I won't let anything happen to you," Tum Tum assured her. She was scared, but smiled at him and nodded. The twinkle in his eyes showed his determination, and she immediately had full confidence in him. Tum Tum may be young, but he was definitely not a pushover.

Moretti's men made the first move causing the five of them to split in several directions. Rocky and Jet had leaped onto two wooden boxes in front of them while Colt and River ran one way. Tum Tum had merely stepped aside while simultaneously moving Sarah out of harm's way.

"_A ninja's mind is strong-willed and disciplined; he is cunning and resourceful."_

Rocky and Jet flew from box to box, dodging any attacks that came their way. Masters of their environment, Rocky and Jet used the boxes around them to their advantage, ducking behind them, reappearing, and attacking in timely fashion.

One man threw an object at Rocky and Jet causing both boys to somersault off of their boxes to avoid it, only to face several more opponents as soon as they landed on the ground below. Even so, they were much too skilled for them and trying to stop them was a futile endeavor.

Surrounded by Moretti's henchmen, both boys soon wound up in the midst of their own battles as Rocky blocked, ducked, and countered with flair. After a backwards tumbling pass, Rocky landed near a sea of boxes and dove behind a row of them. Reappearing just as quickly, he grabbed two small box lids and used them like a pair of cymbals catching several heads between them as he slammed them together before throwing them aside and evading another useless attempt to defeat him.

Another man leaped on top of a box, towering over Rocky and assuming that height meant that he would have the upper hand. Rocky grinned and kicked his legs, causing him to trip and fall back down to the ground. Relaxing his stance, Rocky walked over to the fallen man, picking up one of his trusty lids on the way and started spinning it on his finger like a basketball. Rocky smiled down on him.

The fallen man instinctively covered his head with his arms. "Don't hurt me!" he begged.

"Had enough?" Rocky taunted.

…

Nearby, Jet was fighting his own battle against Moretti's men as he jumped back to elude a swing, ducked to avoid another, and twirled around a wooden box, grabbing its lid in the process. It proved quite handy as Jet ultimately used it as both a shield and a weapon.

The combination of hand-to-hand combat skills and weapon expertise in addition to his sharp movements and unpredictability rendered Jet to be nearly unstoppable. He smacked one on the head with it, jabbed it into someone else's stomach, and just as quickly, used it again to block a punch from another.

"Ow, splinters!" the man cried, standing in front of Jet as he nursed his injured hand,

"Hurts, doesn't it?" Jet mocked before finally conking the man on the head, rendering him unconscious.

Jet smirked at his nontraditional weapon, and having served its purpose, he launched it like a Frisbee, accurately hitting the face of another man coming at him.

"_And his heart is pure and passionate; he is always loyal to what's important to him."_

Colt and River hurried to another side of the warehouse and stopped as they found themselves immediately surrounded. Positioned back to back, the men attacked left and right, and the pair engaged in battle as if they had fought together for years, harmoniously attacking and evading assaults while protecting one another.

Using his momentum, Colt ran up a nearby wall, flipping over and landing effortlessly to catch one off-guard as he weaved a punch that hit the wall instead. Even when reinforcements arrived on the scene, Colt's quickness proved to be too much.

Meanwhile, River dove over a wooden box, landing on the ground in a forward roll and ending in a crouched fighting stance. River's grace evident in her style, she used her flexibility to her advantage as she sweep kicked her nearest opponent and then sprung upwards only to be fronted by more. Regardless, the brutal approach of her enemies was ineffective against her more composed and calculated techniques.

"What's the matter? Can't take the heat from a girl?" River challenged with a smirk.

Another escaped attack later, Colt jumped and grabbed a chain hanging from the ceiling. Swinging in various directions, his foot caught a few unlucky bystanders in the face, knocking them out instantly. When Colt let go, he landed proudly next to River and commenced another fight.

"Not exactly the first date I had in mind!" Colt shouted as he blocked a punch from his thug and offset it with a combination of finishing blows to the side of his body and face.

"I don't think this is the best time to be talking about this!" River yelled back as she avoided a kick from her own guy and countered with a punch square in the chest.

Colt turned to face River, but his view was blocked by another man charging towards her. Colt, however, was much too fast. "_No one_... tries to… hurt my… girlfriend!" he said, the threat broken up by each move he had made.

"_Girlfriend?_" River asked amused as she dodged another and then, landed a hook jab to the torso.

"Yeah, why not?" Colt said as he attacked River's opponent with his infamous flying kick. After finishing him off, Colt faced her with a smug grin. "So do you want to be my girlfriend or what?"

"Look out!" River yelled suddenly.

Colt sidestepped just in time for River to counterattack the man coming from behind him, which ended with her unlucky opponent flipped onto his back, landing on the ground with a thud.

Colt smirked. "Not bad."

River leaned forward and kissed him lightly on his lips. "Thanks _boyfriend_."

"_His body is full of strength and control. He moves with stealth and agility."_

Tum Tum zigzagged around his set of bad guys as he ran up a metal staircase with Sarah following closely behind. On their way up, one man hurled himself towards them, attempting to capture Sarah, but Tum Tum had stood in his way as he threw his unique array of offensive moves at him, overcoming him easily and causing him to get thrown over the rail.

Tum Tum and Sarah looked over the edge and winced upon hearing him land hard onto the concrete below. "Ouch," they said together.

"That's gotta hurt," Tum Tum said with a pained face.

It wasn't long before the two of them became encircled by enemies, causing Tum Tum to pace cagily around Sarah. He smirked as his enemies sized him up and considered him to be too young to be too much of a threat. They charged towards him, but a quick dodge from one, a kick to another, and a punch and upper cut combo to a third instantly proved them wrong.

"Don't tell me you're getting beat up by lil' ol' me," Tum Tum said, feigning innocence. They scowled, but he simply smiled back as he maintained his stance.

They charged at him again, and using the narrow passageway, rails, and metal bars above him, Tum Tum upheld his promise to Rocky as he fought around Sarah, covering her and moving her out of the way as necessary in order to keep them from harming her.

"You okay?" Tum Tum asked her once they were in the clear. Amazed, Sarah was speechless and merely nodded.

"_And his spirit… his spirit is never broken."_

Moretti stood in the middle of his warehouse, his blood boiling, as the fighting progressed all around him. His men were noticeably no match for the five ninjas. Enraged, he began stomping around his warehouse and ransacking several of the wooden boxes nearby, searching for something that would give him an upper hand and turn the outcome of this war around.

"Aha!" Moretti exclaimed when he finally found what he was looking for: a large firearm, which he had full intentions of using. He picked up the weapon and began loading the ammo. "I got you now!" he sneered. "I don't care if they're just kids; they're _not_ gonna get away with this!"

Armed and ready, Moretti turned around to indulge in the scene surrounding him and then, fired several rounds upwards. Stunned silence followed as everyone, the five ninjas and his men alike, stopped fighting from his blatant interruption.

_Click_.

Moretti shut his eyes irritably. "_Fuck_."

"Freeze Moretti!" the voice instructed. "Drop your weapon, and let me see your hands in the air!" With his back turned towards the unidentified man, Moretti laughed sadistically. "I said 'drop your weapon and let me see your hands, Moretti!'" he repeated.

Moretti scowled, clearly upset that he didn't get a chance to play with his new toy some more, but he had no choice but to obey. As soon as he cooperated, he was immediately handcuffed by a satisfied Sam Douglas, who started reciting his rights. But before he was taken away, Moretti threw a fierce look towards the five ninjas that disrupted his life, and ultimately, caused his downfall. "I won't let you get away with this."

The five of them looked up at him, but said nothing, so Mr. Douglas did all the talking. "Shut up Moretti," he demanded as he took him away.

"Dad!" River exclaimed as soon as Chris Russo appeared. Jet and River, rushed towards him and gave him a hug. Rocky, Colt, and Tum Tum along with Sarah followed.

"You kids did a great job," Mr. Russo told his children and the three brothers proudly. "At first, I was reluctant to go along with this plan, but I gotta admit, you five…" He paused to smile, allowing it all to sink in. "You five are _unbelievable_."

"Thanks, Dad," Jet and River said together.

"And, Sarah, we are so glad you're safe," Mr. Russo added.

"Me too, Mr. Russo," Sarah beamed.

"There are the heroes!" cried the voice of Sam Douglas, who had returned, and was now walking towards them. "I knew you could do it."

"Dad, how did you know that this would work?" Rocky asked.

"Because we had eyes," Mr. Douglas told them. "Here, I'd like you to meet someone." At these words, a woman emerged from behind their fathers. "_This_… is Kim Wilson."

"You! You were that woman… you _knew!_" Colt exclaimed, recognizing her immediately.

"Yes, yes I have been working undercover for quite some time, following Moretti," the woman named Kim confessed. "I was aware of the plan tonight. And when I saw you hiding, I knew immediately that the team was here."

"But then, when I looked at you again, I only saw you three," Ms. Wilson continued, indicating Rocky, Colt, and Jet. "When the other two didn't return for awhile, I knew that something had gone wrong."

"Well, you thought right," River confirmed.

"What do you mean?" Rocky asked, turning to River and Tum Tum. This was news to them; Rocky, Colt, and Jet had no idea what had happened outside the warehouse.

"Me and River ended up locked inside one of those storage garages," Tum Tum said.

"But Ms. Wilson let us out," River added. "_All_ of us. They had us locked in with Sarah; that's how we found her."

"After I let them out, I knew it wouldn't be long before Moretti would find out that there were intruders. River said she had a plan to save you. Meanwhile, I called Sam and Chris."

Mr. Douglas beamed. "And we waited for just the right time."

"Thanks for coming, Dad," Rocky said gratefully.

"No, it's you that we should be thanking."

"Douglas! Russo! Wilson!" a voice yelled from behind them. It was their boss, Martin Thompson, a plump and elderly bald fellow who reminded them of the man from the Monopoly board game. "Good job, you three," he praised as he approached his officers and shook their hands.

"Thank you, sir," Sam Douglas said. "But as you know, we had plenty of help."

The man called Thompson then turned and saw the five ninjas and Sarah and proudly acknowledged them. "You kids, you deserve some kind of award. Service to the city perhaps?"

A small grumbling noise protested from Tum Tum's stomach. He placed a hand on it and looked up, embarrassed. "Um… what about food?"

Thompson raised an eyebrow. "Food? That's _all?_"

"Well, for now," Tum Tum replied. "I'm starving!"

Everyone laughed.

"Yes, yes, well I imagine you would be after all this. We can definitely accommodate that request little man," Thompson promised.

Meanwhile, imprisoned inside the car, Moretti caught a glimpse of the atrocity invading his life's work. His beloved warehouse was now occupied by dozens of FBI officers, some handcuffing his injured men and hauling them away from the scene while others explored the grounds and rummaged through his collection. From afar, he caught a glimpse of the five ninjas. He scowled as the vehicle holding him hostage drove away.

…

"Are we _ever_ gonna have a normal summer vacation?" Tum Tum questioned. He was beginning to think that fate would never allow them a life of mediocrity, not that he was complaining one bit. The fact that they may be destined for action and not to mention, trouble, highly amused him. He grinned dreamily at the thought.

"Nah," Rocky said, shaking his head and confirming Tum Tum's speculations. "I don't think so, Tum."

Tum Tum grinned as Rocky ruffled his hair.

"_So_," Jet began, turning to Colt and River. "Are you two ever gonna finish your date?"

"Yeah, later," Colt replied.

"And _then_, you can ask River to be your giiirlfriend!" Tum Tum teased.

Colt, who had his arm around River, gave her a meaningful look, and both of them grinned. "Yeah, I kinda already did that," he admitted, shrugging.

"_What?_"

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**[A/N] Thanks for putting up with me. Please be kind and share your thoughts by reviewing. See ya next time! :)**


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